The small group in the library babbled into phones, headphones attached to laptops and each other. Conversations jumbled over each other, notes were quickly taken, information passed on and then ... there was silence. Phones closed, conversations ended, and applications closed.

"How are we doing?" Avidan said, finally turning from the window and looking at his team, "Is everything out to the relevant platforms? Everything we have about ... well ... what we have?"

"Yes," Ben said, "there is a breaking news story being aired with the information you forwarded earlier and with that, there will be a constant "leaking" of information onto the internet."

"Good," Avidan said, nodding, "how damaging is the ... leaking?"

"Everything they have ever done will be exposed, from the time they involved themselves in the ... oppressors in the war to the exploiting of this place, then it will go back in time to what their forefathers did to the Cooper family and why ..." Ben shook his head, "... there will be a section on how they have obtained women to continue their line. By the time they return to the mainland, everything they have tried to do, obtain or put in place will be destroyed."

"I'd say that process is pretty damning," said the lanky man lounging, sipping at a glass with golden liquid in it.

"Isn't it a little early for that?" Avidan asked, frowning at him.

"Not at all," the man said, "I have been up ..." he glanced at this watch, "... huh ... nearly forty-eight hours."

"Fair enough," Avidan said, "how does it go with your preparations?"

"We have a ... unit ... moving in behind the arriving ... visitors," he said, swirling the liquid slowly in the glass, "with Sally and her men guarding the door to the islands, the Channings will not know what hit them when they are taken unawares from behind."

"Unless they have someone inside our organisation," the second man said, leaning his elbows on the desk and receiving a dark look from his teammate, "from my side, there is the reversal of all the documents illegally put into place by the Channings. They, and whoever they used during the years have been noted and are currently being tracked down," he shook his head, "every document the Channings has ever put into place for anything they have done ... and there are many, have been located and voided. If the people who worked with them or were used in putting the various documents and contracts into place, as well as those who are still involved ... if any are still alive ..." he glanced at his watch and then the clock on the wall, " ... there will be a sweep of arrests so that no one can be warned and escape. The Council will be pleased with this night's work."

"How many names will be marked off?" Avidan asked.

"From the war crimes list?" the man asked, looking at Avidan, who nodded, "At least one hundred and fifty..." he shrugged, "... it is a drop in the ocean, but it will be a good drop in the ocean."

"That is a significant number of people," Avidan nodded, "yes, a good drop indeed ... is there anything else for us to do?"

"Yes," the lanky man placed his glass on the table and pushed to his feet, "guard the townsfolk."

"Then let's see what we can do," Avidan said, pulling a map of the town from his bag and rolling it out onto the table, "we need to monitor what is happening out there in the world in case we need to neutralise an interference but otherwise ... let's plan an attack that will end this permanently."

"An attack on the Channings or a protection plan for the people?" Ben asked.

"Both," Avidan said, "we need to look at all angles and ensure every base is covered."

"Then let's get to work," Ben said, striding to the table and looking down at the map, "there is a lot of coastline on one side and then the road area on the other. Any ideas how five men are going to cover all those angles?"

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Sipping from his glass, one of the men smiled, "I have an idea ... and it may be the answer to everything."

The boat moved slowly through the water between the dots of land that could be seen on the orb. Sage frowned as she looked around; she couldn't see any land, but they were there according to this circular map.

"We're coming to the first island," Sage said, watching them move toward a piece of land she couldn't see; glancing down at the globe, it appeared they were nearly on top of it, "I wonder if my name would work."

"Give it a try," Stuart said, "I've never seen the islands look like this in all the time we've been hiding people here."

"Okay, here we go," Sage said, standing and moving to the side of the boat, "my name is Sage Caroline Mary Annabella Rosemary Cooper-Channing. I have come to right the wrong and stop the tyranny of the Channings."

A strange mist hung around them, moving toward the boat, enveloping and passing the vessel. Sage watched the strange phenomenon leave before looking forward and seeing a large piece of land not far from them; lush vegetation could be seen from where they sat, and trees rose from the land toward the large holes in the cave ceiling.

"Beautiful," Sage whispered as the boat moved forward slowly and pulled up to a short wooden deck.

A small group of people emerged from the vegetation, stepping onto the sands as Stuart and Sage jumped to the wooden planks, slowly coming toward them.

"Matthew, Stuart ..." an elderly man called, as he moved down the dock, "... what has happened? This mist appeared a short while ago and covered the entire island. That has never happened before. Are we in danger?"

"It is all coming to an end," Matthew said, shaking the older man's hand and turning to Sage, "this is ..." his words trailed off as the old man moved past him.

"It is you," he whispered, his palm gently cupping Sage's cheek, "you have come to wrong the right."

"I have," Sage whispered, "is there something I need to do to end it all?"

The old man nodded, pulling Sage's hand through his arm, "Walk with me on the beach and let me tell you how you can end it all."

Sage walked with the old man in silence until they reached the sand, where he silently indicated for Sage to remove her shoes; through her confusion and finally her acceptance that they wouldn't go further until she complied, he waited until she slipped off her shoes, and they continued barefoot.

"What is your name?" Sage asked.

The old man smiled and said, "Is that what you want to ask? "

"Among other questions ... yes," she said, glancing at him, "I tend to have a better conversation if I can address the other person by their name."

Nodding, the old man smiled, "Would you believe my name is Patrick."

"Patrick," Sage whispered, "you cannot be the same person who lived so many centuries ago."

Patrick chuckled, "No, but I am a descendent of his."

"Oh, is that why you're hiding here?" Sage asked.

"My family were hidden here many decades ago," he said, nodding, "I was born here and have lived here my entire life, as have my children and their children."

"How do you school your young people?" Sage asked, looking at the people gathering at the vegetation line.

"That I will answer when you have more time," Patrick said smiling, "for now ... ask the relevant questions."

Sage smiled and nodded, "How do I end this successfully for Charlotte?"

Patrick smiled, "Retrace her steps, and you'll find the Coronet and papers she hid so well," he chuckled at Sage's confused expression, "Walk on every shore of every island, and the orb will take you to where the Coronet has been laid to rest."

"I hope it's not the graveyard," Sage whispered as they turned to retrace their steps, "I really don't want to have to dig up someone's grave."

Patrick chuckled, "No, the dead have been laid to rest with more respect than they were shown in life. Charlotte hid her inheritance so only one with purity of heart would find it."

Nodding, Sage followed him down the short dock to the boat, smiling as he prepared to hand her into the boat. Instead, she stepped forward gently, hugging him to her.

"Thank you," she whispered, "I will do my best to make sure all the families that call this beautiful place home can remain as they are."

He slowly folded her against his tall, lean frame, smiling, "I know you will, and I thank you for listening to your heart and not your head."

Gently, he disengaged and handed her into the boat, "Go and be quick for the time ... it runs out."

Nodding, Sage watched him walk toward the group of people on the shoreline as the boat moved away and back into the mist toward the second island.