Earlier that night, Zen awoke to a large headache and a strange pain in her chest. She gasped and touched her chest where she had buried Ishevara. There was a discernible lump there. She pulled down her shirt collar and found the tip of the crystal growing from her chest. 

Ishevara! Ishevara! Vara! 

I’m here Zen. Do not worry Guardian. I have not abandoned you. 

Ishevara, what have I done to us? I…! 

No worries Zen. You did what you had to at the time. Now only the council can separate us from each other. The others will try and fail. 

So we are connected? 

Yes. My power is now your power and your life, my life which was halved by the way. It was the price to pay for using me as you did. 

I-I understand Ishevara. 

The good thing about us being melded is that it will not happen anymore no matter how you use me since I am now a part of you. 

I don’t understand. 

Before we were two separate lifeforms. Now we are one life form neither Ishevara nor Zen but an amalgamation of the two. 

I don’t want your power Ishevara! I was fine being powerless! 

I’m sorry Zen but you must accept me if we are to work together as one being. 

I accept you! I just don’t want infinite power. It corrupts Ishevara. One day I’ll use them for good and find myself using them for evil instead. I don’t want such a fate. 

I don’t think that will happen to you, but if it does, You have family and friends who can show you the way out. 

What if I drag them in with me? 

Can you see your brother on that side of things? 

Zen scoffed. Nope. 

Then you have nothing to worry about. I think it’ll be the other way around actually. You think that Isaias will fall and I’ll have to catch him? Get real! He’s…

Human Zen as you are...well partly. 

I wonder if the others are safe? Are they mad at me for leaving? I did tell Stephan that I would if it was the best for everyone but it was a trap! And I was stupid! I made them swear on you and they broke it. Now I’m once more in their grasp with no way out! I could stab myself but you would probably heal it wouldn’t you? 

Yes, please do not harm yourself Zen. We’ll get out one way or another.

###

“Qué hacemos con esa pendeja? No podemos remover el cristal de donde esta!” (What do we do with the imbecile? We can’t remove the crystal where it is)

“Calmate Cecile. La niña duerme. Probablemente el cristal esta alli temporariamente,” (Calm yourself. The girl sleeps. It’s probably there temporarily) Bernado said as he smoked a cigar watching his niece sleep. He knew she was awake and listening. He had trained her himself after all.

D’Angelo rolled his eyes. “El cristal necesita ser removido de ella,” (The crystal needs to be removed from her) he said. “No se puede quedar dentro de ella así.” (It can’t stay inside of her like that.) 

Cecile grinned. “En algo nos acordamos D’Angelo.” (In something we agree on, D’Angelo.)

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D’Angelo frowned. “Desgraciadamente,” (Unfortunately)  he muttered and turned to Zen who was glowing slightly from the crystal. She was now cool to the touch and he took every opportunity to run his hands up her arms, over her face, and into her hair. Bernado’s eyes narrowed every time he did so. It was becoming clear to him that D’Angelo was fascinated by the girl and not the crystal and that he was a real threat to Zen as a woman. But what can I do against another Don?

 Bernado sighed and sat closer to Zen trying to offer the little protection that he could for now. He was torn. Armida said that only Ishivara could take Arum away but he knew what had gotten him into this mess in the first place. 

”Llama a Doctor Tao. El puede sacar el cristal,” (Call Dr. Tao. He can remove the crystal.) said Cecile as she paced the floor. By the window of the station sat Don Vasquez. He hadn’t said a word, but then he hadn’t glanced at any of them since he left the Yuka stronghold. He just sighed and tapped the bottom of his suede shoe, which was propped up on one knee. Bernado didn’t dare move, as he saw D’Angelo’s possessive stare fall on his niece again, but he longed to visit with his friend of old and speak to him. Maybe the two of them could find some way to make Cecile jump ship. Vasquez didn’t need to see how far he’d fallen. 

Dr. Tao was a crazy old man who took his experiments too far on the inmates of Con Station. The only reason he was allowed to continue was that the Government gave a rat’s ass about the inmates at Con Station and they had no rights as inmates to the converter. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there and the top dogs eat better.

 Bernado looked at his niece. She looked older than seventeen years but that was probably stress and not this joining with the crystal. She does hold an ethereal glow to her now though. I don’t think that mad doctor will be able to remove the crystal.

 She sighed and stirred slightly.

“Zen I know you’re awake,” he said.

She opened her eyes and he gasped. They were no longer mahogany but a myriad of different colors mixed together and shining like tiny prisms of light were trapped within. She shook her head and her eyes returned to their mahogany but brighter as if lit from within.

Cecile slapped her and drew back as her hand was burned. “Ahh Tu! Descarada! Quitate el cristal Y dámelo!” (AHH! You!! Wretched girl! Take off the crystal and give it to me!)

Zen scoffed. “El cristal no puede ser removido, y si pudiera removerlo no se lo daría a usted!” (It can’t be removed and even if it could I wouldn’t give it to you!)

Cecile screamed and tried to choke Zen but the radiant glow around the girl grew and blinded the woman. When it settled, Zen remained sitting as before but with multicolored eyes.

“Te invito a tratar bruja loca.” I invite you to try you crazy witch.)

The door to the room opened and they all turned their heads to D’Angelo who walked in with a short balding Asian man.

“Ah, is this the girl? Yes, she is quite the specimen.”

“I am not a specimen,” cried Zen as she glowed bright again, warding off everyone. Even Bernado had to leave his seat or be burned by her aura. Awake, he was a foe it seemed. The doctor clapped his hands. “Marvelous! You want me to destroy such a marvelous being?”

“We want you to separate this marvelous being into its original state doctor,” D’Angelo said. 

The doctor nodded. “I’ll be back with my things then,” he said exiting the room with a little skip to his steps. D’Angelo tried to touch Zen but the glow nearly burned his hand off. “The only one allowed to touch me like that is my boyfriend,” she snarled curling in on herself.

D’Angelo grinned. “You left him to come with us, remember?” 

Zen bent her head to hide her tears. Were they even coming for her? She was just a liability to everyone involved. 

Don’t think like that Zen. They are probably still stuck in time, where we left them, and will be there for a long time. 

How long? 

Hours yet. 

At least they are safe.

The door banged open and the doctor came in with a bespeckled violet-skinned male who didn’t look too happy to be there.

“Where is this crystal doctor,” he asked one hand on his waistcoat of silver.

The doctor waved at Zen. “Over there. The girl.”

The man sighed and raised his hand in Zen’s direction. “Sleep,” he said.

Zen felt her power slowly fade. 

Shit! He’s a crystal de amplifier! A crystal soother! He can subvert our powers!

Huh? 

He can turn off our abilities! We have no protection against anyone with him around! 

Oh, were Zen’s last thoughts as she lost consciousness and fell into D’Angelo’s arms. 

She was helpless.

“Lay her on the gurney, please. We have much experimentation to do and little time to do it in.”

D’Angelo placed Zen on the gurney running his hands down her cheeks and grinning at the smooth skin there. I wonder? Is she smooth in other places? 

The doctor stuck an IV in her hand and wheeled her out of there into an examination room.