The Fifth World 2

Bo: "He doesn't deserve you," Derek mutters as we stand behind Johnson, in front of the Seabrooke Council.

We are standing in the largest tent in Seabrooke - Council house... well, a temporary Council house until the real one is rebuilt. Johnson has introduced himself to the members and they are astonished and fascinated to learn that he still lives. Wendell is so happy to know that I have returned. I was looking forward to seeing him; to see how he was doing since the death of his daughter Isabelle. He seems okay - better than what I would have expected and for that I am glad. However, I am not as excited to be back here. After the events of meeting with Cynric and seeing my own brother choose someone else over me, I feel like there is very little for me here. I am sort of aching to accompany Johnson on our mission - finding Evee, my biological mother.

"No," I whisper to Derek, "I don't deserve him."

"What about Jonathan?" Derek asks me but I do not answer.

Instead of responding to him I listen in on what Johnson, Wendell and Felicity are discussing. Johnson informs Wendell of Evee's kidnapping and how he, myself and Derek plan to rescue her.

"I am still not certain on how this Thorne," he gestures towards Derek, he is not rude by doing so but not exactly polite either, "has come into the picture."

"I am his Angelican," I add quite loudly and a lot of the Council members turn towards me, some are surprised, some are blank and others are a little... disturbed by the revelation, "I have known Derek for a very long time but it never occurred me until a few days ago of what he truly is, who he truly is."

"And who might he be?" A woman of the council asks.

I have seen this woman many times but I cannot be sure if I have actually spoken to her. The last time I saw her her hair was short and choppy looking. Now her black locks have grown and the red streaks that were once there are almost gone. I can tell just by looking at her that she is a Shape Shifter.

Johnson takes a careful glance at me and then at Derek. He is unsure of whether we should reveal Derek's true identity - it could be dangerous but then again, saying something, implying something and then not revealing what it is could be seen as secretive and of course dangerous.

"My name is Derek, Derek Brown." Derek speaks before I even open my mouth, "I am half Thorne and half Average Human. To my knowledge I am the only one of my kind around. I find it hard to believe but I also find the fact that supernatural beings and my nightmares actually exist. I am not a threat, I am not a danger and I know that like Bo, my existence is illegal but I am not here to take over the world or to simply kill someone for my own entertainment. My father was named John and I have no idea who or where he is. I barely knew him."

Wendell sits forward in his chair, "John? Your father was named John?"

I hear another voice join the conversation, it hurts when I hear him speak, "Johns son," Cynric breathes, he is at the back of the tent, standing alone in a corner with his arms crossed as he leans against a large pillar, "I suspected it the moment I saw him. The legendary criminal's blood has returned to the Fifth World after all."

"Criminal?" Derek spits, "Did you not hear a word I just said?"

Cynric laughs and the sound of it is empty and wrong, he sounds so evil, "Your father was a criminal. He took many innocent lives - men, women, children, babies."

"I am nothing like my father," Derek hisses as he turns towards Cynric.

They are at least ten metres from one another but I know the distance between them can be closed in half a second. Cynric smiles, slyly, and he straightens up and drops his arms to his sides. His fists open and close. Derek scowls at him.

Wendell stands from his chair and yells, "Enough! I will not have this in a Council meeting let alone my town. If you two would like to let off some steam I suggest you leave."

I look over at Cynric who is not even looking at Derek anymore, he is staring at me and his eyes are piercing. He is so angry. I look away from him as his gaze intimidates me. When I look at Derek again his hands are shaking and to comfort him I put my hand on his wrist. After a minute or so he finally calms himself.

Wendell finally sits down again, "Now that we have established Derek Brown's true identity we are going to accept him just like we would accept any other new comer. Like all of us he is different and he has come here to live equally among us."

"Wendell," I hear Felicity speak, she has been quiet for a while, "I ask for your permission to accompany Johnson, Derek and Bo on their mission to find Evee."

"What motivates you to do so, Felicity?" Wendell asks her.

I am surprised that he has even done so. It is no surprise to me that Felicity would volunteer herself to help us; help me. So, why is there a need to ask?

"I would like to join them also," I hear Caine speak.

I turn around and see that he is standing beside Cynric at the back of the tent. Cynric is a metre away from him and I can tell that there is still hostility present between the two. Why is that Cynric never gets along with anyone I befriend? I sigh and I return my gaze to Caine. I did not know he was present until now.

"Of course you would," Wendell says, "Your motivations, Caine and Felicity, would not be sprouted from the Thornes current proposal, would it?"

"Proposal?" Johnson asks.

What proposal? And since when have Thornes, the evil ones, ever communicated with the population of Seabrooke? The last time they came here they tore the place to pieces. That is why everyone is living in these tents.

"What proposal?" I ask, my voice a bit shaky.

Wendell looks over at Felicity and then towards the back of the tent at Caine, he is suspicious of them... but why?

"Three Thornes came here a few days ago giving us a proposition. If the hybrid, Bo Abshire, is handed over to the Thornes all loved ones that have been abducted and kept in captivity will be released," Wendell says.

I feel my entire body become cold, my spine stiffen and with hesitation I look at Felicity. She does not look at me, in fact, she avoids my eyes. She moves so her red hair covers her face, making it impossible for me to read her... but I have already seen enough. Finally, I look over towards the back of the tent to look at Caine but he has disappeared. Cynric stares back at me with eyes that are unreadable.

"Why would anybody commit such treachery?" Johnson asks as if it is absurd that anyone would even think of handing me over to the Thornes.

"You of people would understand treachery, Johnson," Wendell says, "This meeting is over. I and the rest of Council hope that you will stay the night and then begin your journey to find Evee at sunrise."

Cynric: I retreat to my tent and Adam is not too far behind me. He creeps in and sits himself on some woolen blankets beside me. This tent is too small for the both of us. We are both fully grown and both, ironically, not the age we appear either.

"What happened at the Council meeting?" he asks me, his voice deep and saddened. "I only heard the end of it and it didn't sound too good."

"It is complicated, Adam," I mutter and I sit back in an effort to find comfort but it is very, very uncomfortable in this tiny tent. I begin to pack some things in a backpack.

"Please, can't you just tell me? I'm not a kid, I understand these things," Adam says, he sounds offended.

Of course Adam will understand, sort of. The truth is, though, that Adam has a lot more to learn in life. He may have the body and mind of an adult but he is still naive, he has not experienced life like I or Bo have. He cannot understand life to the complete extent that Bo and I can... not until he truly lives.

"Adam," I say in a stern voice, "Just drop it, okay?"

He does, thankfully, and he sinks into the ground with a sigh, "I don't want to talk to Bo - not particularly. I heard what she said. She doesn't trust me, she knows I'm Adam but she... I don't think she knows that I am still her brother, that I am the Adam that was there before."

"It will take time for her to accept it," I whisper.

"No," Adam says a little loudly, "She should accept it now. I am her brother. I am still the boy she loved back at Christmas, the boy who climbed into her arms each day, the boy she took to school and picked up... I have just grown up now."

"Put yourself in her shoes," I say to him, I feel like his father saying that... but to be honest, I kind of have been like a father to him since his transformation, "and then you try to think of how you would accept it."

He does not answer.

"I am going to be leaving the town for a while, I have to... find someone... and I know that you may not want to be around your sister at the moment but since those Thornes announced their promises the other day... I do not believe many people can be trusted with her."

"Where are you going?" Adam asks me and begins to follow me as I leave the tent and heave the backpack over my shoulder, I almost consider walking away without telling him but I know that if I refuse to answer he will not listen to a word I have to say in the future.

I sigh and I run my fingers through my hair whilst looking around, "I am going to see someone, I think he may be able to help us."

"Help us do what?"

"Protect your sister. Johnson, the man with the black hair that arrived with her, is Bo's biological father. I cannot explain it now but him and Bo have a mission and I know that they cannot do it alone. Unfortunately, a lot of people in Seabrooke are untrustworthy at the moment - I hate to say it but it is true. A lot of outsiders have moved here since the walls were demolished. Patrolling has become very difficult and keeping track of each individual is impossible."

"I don't understand," Adam says, he is a little bit frustrated.

I put a hand on his shoulder, "I made a vow a very long time ago to always protect your sister - I am her Angelican, after all. She needs help, we need help and I am going to do everything in my power to get it to her."

I turn away from him but Adam takes my wrist in his hand instantly. I feel the grip he has on my flesh and I stop and turn back around to him. I do not believe anyone in Seabrooke truly knows what Adam is capable of - I do not believe anyone truly knows what Adam is capable of. Not even him. I have been training him and I have seen him grow, seen him change, seen him move. If given time and the right training, Adam could be amazing and Alistair's prediction, or truth, supports that theory of mine.

The Average Human will be great.

"I am coming with you," Adam says to me.

I shrug his hand from my wrist, "No, you are not. As I said, Adam, there are people here we cannot trust. This world is not a good place. It is not safe. Do you have any idea what the majority of the people in this world would do if they could get their hands on your sister? Even you? To them she is a tool and you are probably an experiment. Keep an eye out for her. I will be back by nightfall."