Amateur Author

‘We’ll be right outside,’ the chief ensured her.

Emma nodded bravely. She was a little scared of this man that stood for everything she had come to loathe in the past week.

‘You did turn off all recording and scanning equipment, didn’t you?’ the monsigneur asked him before closing the door.

‘Audio will be muted, but other then that, we are keeping an eye on things. For both your safety,’ he smiled.

The priest knew it would be futile to ask him to shut everything down. He turned his attention to Emma. ‘Do you know how important you are to us?’ he asked.

‘You’re willing to lie and kill to get me, so I’m guessing you think I’m vital in some way.’

‘The House is your home. It has been for a very long time.’ He tried to look calm and benine, but couldn’t fool Emma.

‘It has never been my home. You know that as well as I do.’

‘Sure it is.’

He took a few steps towards her, she took a few steps back to keep the distance between them the way it was.

‘There’s no need to be afraid. There are millions of people who love you. They’ll be happy to learn you’re alright.’

‘I’m not her,’ Emma stated firmly. ‘I’m Emma.’

‘I know your memory is a little foggy, but in time…’

‘No!,’ she cried out. ‘My memory is fine. I know what happened. The Brotherhood killed her. Then they took her DNA, and they made me. I look like her, I share her DNA, but I am not her!’

‘Sure you are. You are everything she is. Everything we loved, and have missed so much,’ the monsigneur spoke gently.

‘I don’t have her powers.’

‘That’s impossible!’ he said, shocked. ‘You’re just saying that!’

‘No, I am not. I can’t see what she saw. Not even a little. The Brotherhood thought I could, but they were wrong, and so are you!’

‘Lies! Impossible!’

‘No!’ she hollored. ‘If I had them, do you think they would have caught me? That’s why you always grabbed the Lady as soon as she was born. If she would be old enough to speak and interpret her visions, she would know you were coming, and always stay a few steps ahead of you.’

It hit the monsigneur that she was right. It made perfect sense. The Brotherhood would have never caught her, unless she wanted them too. And if she wanted them too, the police would have never stood a chance against her power of vision. ‘But… but she never predicted the next Lady! The Lady is vital to our church!’

‘You’ll have to learn to do without her,’ Emma said harshly, not feeling sorry one bit. ‘Now I want you to leave. I don’t want anything to do with you or that institition you work for. You should be very ashamed of yourself. I’m glad you will never be able to abuse innocent women like her anymore.’

His last piece of hope shattered, the monsigneur slowly walked to the door. He was in what one could consider to be a state of shock, his mind had difficulty hanging on to any coherent thought. As if hypnotized, he walked out of the room, and without a word, walked to the elevator. Those that accompanied him to his shuttle also never heard him speak the entire way, and aboard the shuttle itself, all he uttered was incoherent mumbling. His entire world had been shattered by Emma’s truth; as of now, his church would have to survive without the visions and clearvoyance of the Lady of God.

‘Are you alright?’ Jaydon asked her as she walked out of the room.

She fell into his arms. ‘It’s finally over,’ she sighed relieved.

‘I know,’ he replied and kissed her forehead.

‘We’ve got a shuttle ready to take you to your parents, Mr. Octar,’ the inspector stated. ‘We’ll keep an eye on you to be safe, and we’ll notify you of courtdates. I suggest you get a lawyer for a civil suit against the Brotherhood. We froze their assets, but once we’re done with them, there should be plenty left for you to claim damages for the loss of your ship and livelyhood, as well as further economic and psychologic damages.’

Jaydon held out his hand towards inspector Lohawk. ‘Thanks for everything, inspector. We owe you our lives.’

The inspector smiled, and shook the hand. ‘All in a days work, Mr. Octar. All in a days work.’ With those words, he turned around and walked away.

‘Inspector!’ Jaydon hollored. ‘Tell me; when you pulled your gun on me, were you really going to shoot?’

Without turning around, the inspector stopped, smiled broadly, and continued on his way. Jaydon would never know.