Jan Levy looked up from the sandwich she was making. A movement over by the toaster has caught her eye. It was a cockroach, a big one. "Dan!" she called. "We've got roaches again!"
Her husband came into the kitchen. "Not again. I thought they'd all been exterminated," he said.
"Well I guess they must have missed a couple," said Jan. "It's over by the toaster. You'd better check the cellar too."
Grumbling under his breath, Levy disposed of the cockroach then took a flashlight to investigate the cellar. He opened the door and shone the light down the stairs. The floor of the cellar appeared to be moving, and so did the walls. A chill went down his back as he shone the torch on the wall next to him. It was covered by a seething mass of cockroaches. In horror he stumbled back through the door and hurriedly slammed it shut. As he did, there was a scream from the kitchen. He rushed in only to collide with his wife coming out. "What is it?" he demanded.
Wordlessly, she pointed to the cupboards. There were cockroaches all over the work surfaces.
"Come on!" said Levy. "We're getting out of here!" He and his wife stumbled out of the house into the yard, horrified by the sudden invasion of their house. All along the street, other people were doing the same thing.
Stan Parker was driving home glad the business convention was finally over. It had seemed like it would never end, but now at last he was free.
Tommy Lee drove the petrol tanker easily, keeping time with the music booming out of the stereo. Suddenly the wheel jerked in his hands as the front tires blew out. The vehicle swerved across the road, almost seeming to develop a mind of it's own. It was all Lee could do to hang on to it. The front swung back violently, swerving the tanker across the road. Gracefully, almost in slow motion, the whole vehicle tipped onto its side.
Cruising around a bend in the road, Parker suddenly found himself face to face with an overturned petrol tanker coming straight at him. Too stunned to react, Parker met the tanker head-on. The two vehicles exploded into a tremendous fireball, engulfing several other vehicles, which were desperately trying to get out of the way. Ten people died and another thirty were injured in the ensuing pile-up.
Barbara Davies shivered as a sudden cold breeze blew across her back. She looked over her shoulder and started in surprise as she saw the ominous black clouds building up over the town. They were coming up unnaturally fast and pushing a cold wind before them. She stood up from the flowerbed she was weeding and gathered up her children, who were playing nearby. "Michael, Michelle. Let's go inside," she said.
"Aw, do we have to?" asked Michael, a lively eight year old.
"Yes, honey. It looks like it's going to rain," said Barbara, glancing nervously at the sky, which was by now almost completely black. She hurried the children into the house and shut the door just in time. Fist-sized chunks of hail fell out of the sky in a dense shower. Michelle screamed as windows started to break under the onslaught. Barbara huddle in the hallway with her children as destruction rained down all around them. For fifteen terror-filled minutes the hail continued to fall. When it was over, there wasn't an unbroken window anywhere in town. Roofs, cars, just about everything had been damaged by the storm. Devastation had been universal, the town looked almost like it had been hit by a bomb. The storm cleared away quickly leaving a field of ice, glistening innocently in the noonday sun.

Edward walked down the hospital corridor, tiredly rubbing the back of his neck. This was the last of four outbreaks that had happened, one right after another. Each one had been caused by a different virus and they'd all been deadly. It had taken all their resources and that of the CDC to bring each one under control. This particular one was the most virulent outbreak of cholera he'd ever seen. Fortunately they'd got to it before it had a chance to spread very far; otherwise the death toll might have been much higher. Thankful that it was more or less over, but unable to shake a chill feeling of foreboding, Edward entered the staff lounge where Kim was making tea.
"Man, I could sleep for a week," he said, throwing himself into a chair.
"After a long, hot soak in the bath," said Kim with a tired smile.
"I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings," said Michael quietly as he came into the room. "Daniel wants us back at the mansion. "
"What's happened?" asked Edward uneasily.
"He didn't say," replied Michael. "How soon before you two are ready to leave?"
Edward looked at Kim. "Half an hour?" he suggested.
"Sure." said Kim resignedly. "That will give me time to get a few things finished."
Daniel looked at his exhausted team and regretted having to send them out again. "I have another assignment for you." He said quietly. "There's another outbreak. This time it's Hantavirus, caused by a plague of rats."
"That's the fifth outbreak in as many weeks," said Edward. "What's going on?"
"I'm afraid that's only the tip of the iceberg," said Daniel. "Unexplained fires, random outbreaks of violence among groups of ordinary citizens, swarms of rats, bees, cockroaches. One town reported over a hundred lightning strikes during a single storm. More than twenty people were killed. And all of it has happened within a hundred mile radius of this house." Daniel activated a monitor showing a map of the area. Dozens of red dots marking incident sites made a perfect circle around the mansion. "We appear to be in the eye of a very nasty storm."
Edward's uneasiness deepened and he shifted uncomfortably. "Any idea what's causing all this?" he asked.
"None whatsoever." replied Daniel. "We know it's not the Dawn, although they may be capitalizing on the other disasters to introduce new strains of viruses. No other group that we know of has the resources to pull off something like this. We've got people out investigating but so far they've turned up nothing."
"As we seem to be at the center of all this, I'm assigning extra security to all of you." said Michael. "Since we have to go out into that zone to work, I want to minimize the risk of any strike being made at you."
"You think this is directed at us?" asked Kim.
"At this point I don't know what to think so I'm not taking any chances," replied Michael. "Until we know what's going on, you don't move without one of my men being with you."
"I don’t like this," said Edward.
"Neither do I," agreed Daniel. "For now there's nothing we can do except get on with the job at hand. We leave in two hours, so I suggest you get some sleep while you can. It's likely to be in very short supply over the next few days."

Michael drove slowly through the town. Everywhere they looked there were rats, the place was infested with them. The streets were empty, the townsfolk either at the hospital or evacuated to a camp outside of town. The National Guard had been brought in to maintain order and every available pest control company for miles around had set up around the hospital to try and control the rats. So far they were succeeding.
"At least the hospital is clear of rats," said Daniel. "It makes our job a little easier."
"Where did they all come from?" asked Kim. "I've never seen so many rats in one place before."
"Have you noticed they're all black rats?" asked Michael.
"Plague carriers." said Edward.
"There are no reported cases of plague in the town," said Daniel.
"Could be just a matter of time," said Edward.
"We need to get specimens to test," said Kim.
"I'll see what I can arrange," said Michael. Leaving the doctors at the entrance to the hospital, Michael went to where a pest control van was parked nearby. "Excuse me," he said to the driver. "Could you send a number of live rats up to the hospital labs? They need to run some tests on them."
"Sure thing." said the driver. "How many?"
"About half a dozen." replied Michael.
"I'll get right on it," said the driver.
"Thanks." said Michael.
"What can you tell me about the rat infestation?" asked Michael a short while later. He was standing talking to Philip Wilde, the town's sheriff.
"It started yesterday morning." said Wilde. "The rats just came boiling up out of the sewers. Before we knew what was happening they'd infested the entire town. Within hours, people started getting sick. I've never seen anything like it."
"I'd like to go down into the sewers and take a look around," said Michael.
"I can't let you do that," said Wilde. "I'm not going to be responsible for you getting this illness too."
"I won't," said Michael. "I'll be wearing a biohazard suit."
Wilde looked at Michael speculatively. "You got two of those suits?" he asked.
"Yes. Why?" asked Michael.
"Because as much as I don't like the idea, I'm coming with you," replied Wilde.
"How do you guys work in these things?" asked Wilde, trying to get the biohazard suit into a more comfortable position.
"You get used to them," said Michael with a smile. "Are you ready for this?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," replied Wilde.
The two men left Wilde's office and approached a manhole in the street. Prizing open the cover, Michael shone a torch into the sewer. It was seething with rats. Suppressing a shudder, he clipped the torch to his belt and started down the ladder. Around him the rustling and squeaking of hundreds of rats was loud in the darkness. He reached the bottom and stepped away from the ladder, making room for Wilde who was just behind him. As Wilde joined him, Michael shone his torch around the sewer, the light reflecting off hundreds of eyes.
"Looks like every rat in the county is down here," said Wilde.
"Yes, but why are they here?" asked Michael. "Come on, let's go this way," he said, indicating the tunnel to his right. They went through tunnel after tunnel right across the town and every one was full of rats.
"Doesn't it ever end?" asked Wilde incredulously.
"It certainly doesn't seem that way," said Michael. "I've seen enough down here. I'd like to go out of town and check the sewers out there."
"You'll get no objection from me," said Wilde. "These rats are beginning to make me nervous."
Michael smiled. "They don't do much for me either."
They made their way back to the manhole outside the Wilde's office and left the sewer. Taking the mobile lab, Michael drove some distance outside of town, stopping when he located and inspection cover. Together he and Wilde prized it open and shone their torches inside. It was still and quiet, not a single rat stirred within its depths.
"What do you think this means?" asked Wilde.
"There's only one way to find out," said Michael. He climbed down the ladder into the sewer and shone his torch around. "Looks like you might be right." he said to Wilde.
"About what?" asked Wilde.
"It looks like every rat for miles around is in town," replied Michael.
"How is that possible?" asked Wilde.
"That's what we have to find out," said Michael grimly.

"This is the worst outbreak of Hantavirus I've ever seen," said Daniel to Edward and Kim as they took a few minutes break for coffee. "Even with the thousands of rats it shouldn't be this bad."
"It's progressing too fast," said Edward tiredly. "There must be some kind of accelerating agent involved."
"Whatever it is, it's not showing up in any of the tests," said Kim.
Edward sighed, rubbing a hand across tired eyes. He was developing a dull headache, which seemed to be due to a constant low-level buzzing sound. He thought of mentioning it to the others but at the last instant changed his mind. Suddenly it didn't seem all that important.
"Edward, are you all right?" asked Kim.
"What?" asked Edward, startled out of a reverie. "I'm fine, really. Nothing some sleep wouldn't cure," he said smiling.
"We could all use some sleep," said Daniel. "Unfortunately, duty calls."
"As always." said Edward, getting up to leave. "You coming?" he asked.
"We'll join you in a moment," said Daniel. He waited until Edward had left and then said, "I'd like you to get a sample of Edward's blood."
"You think he might have something?" asked Kim.
"Edward doesn't lose focus like that, even when he's exhausted," said Daniel. "If he's got something, I want to know what it is."
"Roll up your sleeve." said Kim to Edward in the lab later that afternoon.
"Why?" asked Edward suspiciously.
"Routine blood test." answered Kim. "We've been exposed to so many contagious diseases over the last few weeks that they've become necessary."
"If you insist." said Edward. His headache was much worse and the last thing he wanted was a fight with Kim.
Kim was astounded; she'd expected an argument at least. Edward's easy capitulation concerned her; it wasn't like him at all. "Maybe you should take a couple of hours and get some rest," she said, as she took a blood sample. "I can cover for you."
"Thanks, Kim." said Edward. "Maybe a bit later."
Kim put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't push yourself too far," she said. "I don't want to add you to my list of patients."
Edward smiled gently and put a hand over hers. "I won't. Promise." he said.
She nodded squeezing his shoulder, then took the sample and went in search of Daniel. "You were right." she said when she found him. "Something is wrong. I got the blood sample without any argument at all. I've been watching Edward since this morning and he seems distracted, not like himself at all."
"Run every test you can think of," said Daniel. "Make it a priority. I want to know what's going on."
"I'll let you know as soon as I've got anything," said Kim.

Later that afternoon, Kim went back to Daniel. "I've got the results of Edward's tests," she said.
"What did you find?" asked Daniel.
"Nothing." replied Kim. "Viral, bacterial, chemical, they've all come back negative."
"There's got to be something we're missing." said Daniel.
"But what?" asked Kim. "I've tried every test there is."
"I've got a bad feeling about this," said Daniel. "Come on."
"Where are we going?" asked Kim.
"To find Edward. I want to know what's going on." replied Daniel.
Together they searched the entire hospital, but they were too late. Edward was gone.
"Hailey," said Michael into his cellphone.
"Michael, we have a problem," said Daniel. "Edward is missing."
"When was he last seen?" asked Michael.
"About an hour ago," replied Daniel. "His guard is missing too."
Michael looked at his watch; it read 6:00pm. "That means they could be anywhere. I'll organize a search of the town, if Edward's here I'll find him."
"What's the problem?" asked Wilde.
"One of our team is missing," replied Michael. "I need to borrow some men so we can do a search of the town."
"My men are all busy at the hospital or the evacuation site," said Wilde. "We could use a few of the National Guardsmen though."
"Good idea," said Michael. "Come on."

Edward sat in an alley, his back to a wall and his arms wrapped around his knees. Eyes closed, breathing heavily, he rested his head against the wall as he fought off a strange compulsion. He felt inexplicably drawn to the center of town, a feeling that had compelled him to leave the hospital. Unable to resist he'd walked through the town, heedless of the rats, before coming to the alley. Exerting all his will power he'd been able to briefly overcome the compulsion, but it was a losing battle. The headache and the buzzing noise eroded his will until finally he was driven to his feet, drawn once more to the center of town. He fought every step of the way but was unable to stop again, however much he tried. Exhausted, drenched in sweat, he eventually discovered his destination. Parked down a back alley was a red truck with steps leading up to the rear doors, which were open. Reluctantly, Edward climbed the steps and entered the truck. Inside, strange objects stood in glass cases or on shelves, objects that were chillingly familiar. Steps dragging, he moved to the front of the truck where a room had been partitioned off. A feeling of dread hit him as he approached the room and he gripped the doorframe in a last desperate effort to break the compulsion. He stood for long minutes looking into the room, which was bare except for a wooden chair in the center. Fear gripped him, making him fight all the harder, but it was useless. He was trapped. Step by reluctant step he was drawn into the room, like a fly drawn to the center of a spider's web. The chair loomed large in his vision until he could see nothing else. It was made of plain wood, straight backed and with two arms. He touched the wood, feeling it's smoothness and shuddered as a chill went down his back. Slowly he sat down and as he did vines wrapped themselves around his arms, legs and body effectively pinning him. The vines swelled, producing thorns, which penetrated his clothing and his skin, plunging deep into muscle and even bone. Edward gasped at the sudden, shocking pain and instinctively struggled. That only made it worse and it was with the greatest of effort that he made himself relax. As he sat, trying to calm himself, the vines darkened as the thorns drank from his blood.
"You learn quickly," said a familiar voice. "There is no escape from that plant once it has hold of you." Dicketts appeared by Edward's side, a grin of triumph on his face. "How do you like my little pet?"
"I could do without the thorns," replied Edward through gritted teeth. "What are you going to do? Suck me dry?"
Dicketts waved a hand causing the vine to swell. Edward closed his eyes as a wave of dizziness washed over him, leaving him feeling weak and sick. "You see how easy it would be?" asked Dicketts. "I could end your life as easy as breaking a twig, but I have other plans for you. Behold." He faced the wall, making a sweeping gesture with one hand. Images began to form on the wall, scenes of war, famine and disease, played out in shocking detail. Unable to watch Edward looked away, but the scenes were all around him. Even closing his eyes didn't help, the scenes continued to play out across his mind. He struggled against his bonds, hoping the pain would drive him into unconsciousness but Dicketts guessed his intentions. He immobilized Edward with a gesture, forcing him to watch.
"Why are you doing this?" asked Edward.
"Because I want revenge for what you did to me," replied Dicketts. "My master doesn't take kindly to having his plans ruined."
"So why not just kill me?" asked Edward.
"That would be too easy and too quick," replied Dicketts. "But if I shatter your mind, my revenge will last a life time."
His laughter echoing around the room, Dicketts disappeared suddenly, leaving Edward alone in his anguish.
"This is Hailey. Anything to report?" asked Michael into his comlink.
"Nothing so far," replied Wilde.
"Negative," replied Deane and Reynolds together. Both were National Guardsmen that Michael had drafted into the search for Edward. The four men had split up and were each searching a section of the town.
Near the center of town, Michael spotted an alley he'd almost missed. As he drew near he was overcome by a strange and powerful reluctance to go any further. He hesitated, struggling to go on, when someone stepped out of the shadows and pressed something into his hand.
"What…?" he started to say, looking down at the object in his hand. He stopped speechless as he saw that it was a faintly glowing crucifix. He looked up to see who had given it to him but the man had gone. All Michael could remember of him was that he wore a hooded robe, rather like a monk. He walked on, looking again at the crucifix and realized with a start that the reluctance had gone. Putting the crucifix around his neck, he continued down the ally and saw a familiar truck parked at the far end. "Dicketts," he said grimly. "I should have guessed." Quickly and quietly he approached the truck and entered. The interior was dim and silent but he could just see a faint flickering of light near the front. He approached cautiously and saw a door leading into a room. The light seemed to be coming from inside and he could just make out images on the walls. Looking inside Michael could see Edward sitting rigidly in a chair, tears running freely down his face, his eyes locked on the wall before him. Entering the room, Michael looked at the wall and was shocked by what he saw. The scenes played out on the wall turned even his hardened stomach and he was forced to look away. Keeping his eyes averted, he went and knelt beside Edward. He recognized the vines for what they were and knew that trying to cut through them would be useless. Instinctively knowing it was the right thing to do, he took the crucifix and placed it around Edward's neck. The faint glow strengthened and grew, spreading over Edward's body. As it touched the vines they withered and died, turning to ash. Closing his eyes, Edward let the tension flow out of his body. The glow filled his mind, erasing the horror of what he had witnessed and replacing it with peace. Michael placed a gentle hand on his arm and spoke. "Edward? It's time for us to go."
Edward looked at him and nodded. "You won't get any arguments from me," he said. With Michael's help he got up from the chair and together they left the truck. He kept expecting Dicketts to stop them but the crucifix protected them, allowing them to escape.

"What do you know about the vine that held Edward?" asked Daniel.
"Not much," replied Michael. "I found a reference in an ancient text that said the vine was carnivorous, but nothing else."
"There's no current botanical reference to it?" asked Daniel.
"None whatsoever," replied Michael. "Like the flower that Dicketts used at the festival of St. Michael."
"Was there any indication that this plant might be poisonous?" asked Daniel.
"Not that I could see. Why?" asked Michael.
Daniel sighed. "Edward is dying and there's not a thing I can do about it," he said. "I can't even tell what's killing him."
"Maybe the poison is not in the body but in the spirit," said Michael.
"If that's the case then we'll need a miracle to save him," said Daniel.
At that moment a voice came over Michael's comlink. "There's a monk down here requesting to see Dr. Marcase."
"I think your miracle has just arrived," said Michael. "Bring him up," he said into the comlink.
A few minutes later the monk was escorted into the room where Michael and Daniel were waiting for him. "Brother," said Daniel. "What can we do for you?"
"My name is Anthony," said the monk, speaking with a soft Irish brogue. "I have come to help Edward Marcase."
"What do you know of Dr. Marcase's condition?" asked Daniel suspiciously.
"I know that he's dying and that you can't help him," replied Anthony. "Edward has been touched by a great evil and it is stealing his life force. If you want to save him, you have to let me help him."
"You can fight Dicketts?" asked Michael.
"Yes, I can." replied Anthony.
Michael turned to Daniel. "We have to let him try," he said.
Daniel frowned. "I don't like this," he said.
"What choice do we have?" asked Michael.
Daniel sighed in resignation. "None. All right, we'll try it your way," he said. He led the way to the room where Edward had been placed. Edward lay on the bed, pale and still, his breathing shallow. Kim stood next to him, holding his hand. She tensed in anger when she saw Anthony.
"A little early for last rites, don't you think?" she snapped at Daniel.
"Brother Anthony isn't here for that," said Daniel. "He thinks he can help Edward."
"By praying for him?" asked Kim skeptically.
"Prayer would certainly help, but in this instance something more is needed," said Anthony. "I won't go into details since you wouldn't believe me anyway." He went to Edward and laid a gentle hand on his forehead. "We don't have much time. I'll need you all to leave."
"We're staying," said Daniel.
"It's too dangerous," said Anthony, a hard edge to his voice.
"All the more reason to stay. You might need our help," said Daniel.
Anthony was about to reply when he paused and looked across the room. Unseen by the others John, Edward's guardian spirit, had appeared. "Let them stay," he said quietly.
"If you insist," said Anthony shortly. He looked at Daniel. "You can stay but you must stay at the side of the room, out of the way."
"Are you going to allow this to go on?" asked Kim.
"Yes," said Daniel. "Now let's do as the man says." He and Michael moved to the side of the room taking Kim with them.
Anthony took a deep breath and held his hands palm down above Edward's body. Slowly he lowered his hands until they rested on Edward's chest and abdomen. He bowed his head in prayer, but he was interrupted by a disturbance at the back of the room. A roiling black mass appeared, out of which stepped Dicketts. He strode forward and laid his hands on Edward's shoulders. "This one is mine. I claim him in the name of my master," snarled Dicketts.
"No!" said Anthony. "I will not let you have him."
"So be it," said Dicketts. "Let the battle begin."
Daniel looked on speculatively as Anthony bowed his head in prayer. He knew from personal experience how powerful prayer could be and he hoped that it worked for Edward. Lost in thought, he failed to notice a growing darkness at the other side of the room.
"Look!" said Michael, his voice a hoarse whisper.
A familiar figure stepped out of the darkness and went straight to Edward.
"Dicketts," said Daniel.
"What do we do?" asked Kim.
"Nothing," replied Daniel. "Now it's up to Anthony."
Edward found himself standing on a plateau with no idea how he got there. On one side of him was Anthony, surrounded by a softly glowing light. On the other was Dicketts, partially shrouded in darkness.
"Come to me," said Dicketts imperiously. Edward suddenly felt the same dreadful compulsion that he had felt earlier and he involuntarily took a step towards Dicketts.
"No Edward," said Anthony gently but firmly. "Dicketts can offer you nothing but corruption and evil. Come to me and to the love of God." Dicketts hold over Edward lessened as Anthony added his own will to the battle. The two forces were now even and Edward's soul was delicately balanced between them.
"Love? Is that all you have to offer?" asked Dicketts scornfully. "I can give him power beyond his wildest dreams."
"Absolute power corrupts absolutely," replied Anthony. "Your kind of power would only harm the things he holds most sacred."
"I can give you the power to heal," said Dicketts to Edward. "You could become the greatest healer ever to live."
"But at what cost?" countered Anthony. "Think, Edward, of what you might be sacrificing to gain such power."
"Don't listen to him," said Dicketts. "If his God is so wonderful then why is there still suffering and cruelty? Join us and you could stop all the things I showed you from happening."
"It will only stop when mankind fully embraces the love of God," said Anthony. "Don't listen to the lies and falsehoods of this servant of Satan. He will only trick you into giving up your soul and then you will be theirs to do with as they please."
Torn apart by the tremendous forces pulling at him, Edward slowly sank to his knees, his arms crossed in front of his chest. "Stop it!" he moaned. "Stop it!"
"Choose Edward!" demanded Dicketts. "Which of us will it be?"
Back in the room, Edward's life signs got steadily weaker as the battle took its toll. "This is ridiculous," said Kim. "Edward needs professional, medical help."
"What do you suggest?" asked Daniel. "We've tried everything we could and it hasn't helped. All we have left is faith."
"How can you say that?" demanded Kim.
"Have you forgotten the Mayan bacteria?" asked Daniel. "If faith can save my life, it can save Edward's."

"Choose Edward!" demanded Dicketts.
"I can't!" Trembling violently, Edward was close to the end of his strength.
"I can offer you unimaginable power," said Dicketts. "What can the priest offer? Nothing!"
"I offer you the love of God and the strength to do what must be done," said Anthony with quiet assertion.
Torn by indecision, Edward didn't know what to do. Dicketts had already established a partial hold on him and was able to cloud his judgement, making it difficult for him to see through the lies. As he struggled to decide, he began to think of the three people closest to him. With the thought of the team came the memory of the first time he had met Dicketts. He remembered the question he had asked Father Stefan, "Is there good in him?" Looking at Dicketts, Edward asked himself the same question. All at once, Dicketts spell broke and Edward saw him for what he truly was. Dicketts eyes blazed as he realized that he'd lost his hold on Edward. He seemed to swell in size and the heat of his anger and hatred beat down on Edward. Terrified, Edward reached out to Anthony. "Help me!" he pleaded desperately.
In the room, John moved forward suddenly and placed his hands on Edward's body. Edward's plea for help had been all that he had been waiting for. He bowed his head and murmured in prayer, his hands glowing softly. There was a bright flash of light and Dicketts was thrown across the room to land in an untidy heap against the far wall. "Take your servant and begone from this place!" commanded John to the darkness hovering at the back of the room. "This one is not for you!"
"Don't think this is the end of it," snarled Dicketts. "I intend to have Marcase, one way or another!" He stepped into the darkness, which disappeared with a deafening bang.
"Vengeance is mine," said Anthony softly.
"Not if I can help it," said John. "We've put too much time and effort into Edward to let him be taken by the servants of darkness."
"Then you'd better do something quickly," said Anthony, glancing at the monitors. "He's slipping away from us."
John closed his eyes and began to pray. He reached out and touched the crucifix where it lay on Edward's chest. It pulsed with a soft light that spread into Edward's body, healing the wounds as it went. Then John lightly touched Edward on the forehead, relaxing him and sending him into a deep and dreamless sleep. "It is done," said John softly.
"Thank you, my friend," said Anthony. He looked from John to Daniel, Michael and Kim. "Edward is safe. All he needs now is rest."

"What have you found?" asked Daniel.
"There isn't a single rat left in town," replied Michael. "It's like it never happened."
"Even the rats in the lab are gone," said Kim.
"When Dicketts left he must have taken his plague with him," said Daniel. "Let's hope all the other plagues and disasters go too."
"You think they're all connected?" asked Kim.
"Yes. The incidents were too many too diverse for them not to be," replied Daniel. "I'm glad it's finally over."
"Why do you think Dicketts chose Edward?" asked Michael. "We were all responsible for stopping him."
"Maybe it had something to do with whatever happened in the church," replied Daniel.
"Do you think he'll be back?" asked Kim.
"Almost certainly," replied Daniel. "Next time we'll be ready for him."

"You're troubled," said Anthony as he and Edward walked through the grounds of the local church. "Is it because you almost gave in to Dicketts?"
"Yes," admitted Edward reluctantly. "Why didn't I see him for what he was?"
"Dicketts used his power to cloud your judgement," replied Anthony. "Then he used your compassion against you. It took a lot of strength and courage to break through that."
"I couldn't have done it without your help," said Edward.
"I wish there was more I could have done but I had to let you make your own choice," said Anthony. "All I could do was neutralize some of Dicketts power and stop him from making your choice for you. Given enough time I knew you would see through him."
"You took quite a chance. Time was something I didn't have a lot of," said Edward.
Anthony smiled. "You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for," he said.
"You seem to know quite a lot about me," said Edward.
"I've followed your career closely," said Anthony.
"Do you know what happened after my grandfather died?" asked Edward.
"An unknown benefactor paid your way through private school and then medical school," replied Anthony.
"Do you know who that was?" asked Edward.
"Yes, but I am not permitted to tell you," replied Anthony. "When you are ready, he will come to you."
"When will I be ready?" asked Edward.
"Only he knows the answer to that I'm afraid," said Anthony. Seeing Edward frown he smiled and said, "Come now, it's not that bad. It will look even better over a good pint of beer. I understand there's a good alehouse not far from here."
"I thought monks weren't supposed to drink?" asked Edward.
"Ah," said Anthony with a mischievous grin. "Special dispensation."
Unable to help himself, Edward laughed. "You're kidding, right?"
"Certainly not," said Anthony in mock outrage. "I'll have you know, I've drunk beer at some of the finest alehouses around the world."
"I'll bet you have," said Edward. "Come on, let's find this alehouse of yours."