GUARDIANS: BOOK IV.

THE TRIPLEX.

By-Lola StVil.

This book is dedicated to Gaurav Sharma:.

You are the definition of courage and strength.

And it's not fair that you are a brilliant artist And I have trouble with stick figures.

You inspire me.

This book is also dedicated to Anyone who dares to travel down roads not taken.

Keep going....

BOOK I.

EMERSON BAXTER.

"Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more..."

----W. Shakespeare.

CHAPTER ONE: ISIS & DEMETRI.

"I'm dead!" I gasp as I slowly fall to the ground. He stands before me and proclaims victory.

"Yes! I win again!" he shouts with the most adorable evil laugh. I sneak a peek and he scolds me.

"You're dead, Green Goblin. You can't open your eyes," the five-year-old warns me.

"Okay, but if I'm dead, I'm taking all my candy with me." My neighbor, Ben, thought long and hard over his dilemma.

"Okay, Emmy. You're not dead, but you have to give Spiderman all of your candy"

I get up from the floor and fake a mean look. He stares me down and sticks out his wrist as if to release his "web." It's hard to keep a straight face when confronted with the cutest Spiderman in Manhattan.

"Okay, okay. I give up."

"Yes!" He exclaims as he runs past me and heads over to the coffee table. He takes the bags of candy (the result of an exhaustive night of trick or treating) and dumps it out onto the table. Ben then begins to divide them. He gives me all the boring stuff (candy corn, raisins, trail mix) and takes the good stuff for himself.

Just as he is about to devour the candy, his mom enters.

"Hold it!" she warns.

He turns to look at her with wide, hopeful eyes.

"What?" he asks, knowing very well why his mom stopped him.

"One piece. The rest is for later."

"But Mom-"

"--I mean it. Now say good night to Emmy and thank her for taking you trick or treating"

"Thanks, Emmy," he says, giving me a hug.

I hug him back. And try hard not to pinch his cheeks. I know he hates that but he really has the most pinch-worthy checks I have ever seen.

"Rio is waiting out in the hallway for you, Em," Ben's mom informs me.

"Okay, thanks." As I am walking out the door, Ben's mom stops to look at me. She's looking for something to say to make it all better. It's been a month since my mom was murdered. She wants desperately to say something that will take away the grief. I get that look of sadness and helplessness a lot from people who knew my mom.

"Emmy..." she starts. I give her my most rea.s.suring smile and tell her what a great time I had. Thankfully that is enough to satisfy her. I head out the door and find Rio patiently waiting. Ben runs out to the hallway, says h.e.l.lo to Rio. Before Rio even has a chance to reply, Ben launches into the events of the evening.

"There were a million Spidermen, but I was the best, right, Em?"

"Absolutely," I confirm.

"I'm sorry I missed it," Rio says smiling.

"You can come with us next year. Emmy and me are going to dress up next year too, right?"

Rio and I exchange a look.

Next year...

I inhale deeply and address Ben.

"It's a date, Spiderman."

He beams and runs back into his apartment.

Once Ben's door is closed, I address Rio.

"I thought Marcus was picking me up."

"He was busy."

"I figured."

Rio studies me.

"Emmy?"

"Yeah?"

I know he's reading my Wave. I know there are a lot of colors. I'm certain he knows the truth that I have been hiding from everyone: I'm afraid to die.

"If you want to talk..." Rio begins.

"Let's just focus on Marcus. He is not dealing with this well."

"And you are?"

"No, but all I have to do is die. He's the one who has to take the life of someone he loves."

"I know you're concerned about Marcus, but his concern at the moment is you. Don't you think you should admit to him that you're terrified?"

"Will that change anything?"

"Maybe not but you two need to talk about it."

"That's all we've done is talk. But no amount of talking will change the fact that a Dy cannot be cast out without killing the person it's in. It's never been done."

"I know but..."

"The Sage was right. The minute Marcus found out the Triplex was in my eyes, and he didn't kill me to get it, Marcus betrayed his mission."

"So, what now?"

"Now we help him get back on track."

"You mean we help him kill you?"

"He's the only Guardian who can take a human life."

"Just because he can, doesn't mean he will."

"I could do it myself."

"You heard the Sage. If you die by your own hands, the map will go into limbo. We would have to start looking for it all over again. And since we are only allowed a year for this mission, there just isn't enough time"

I sigh and lean against the wall for support.

"Maybe there's a way to cast out--"

"Rio, let's not do this again. We have looked for ways to get around it; there is none. Marcus has to take my life. He has to do it before midnight of the New Year."

"So how do you think we will get Marcus to agree to kill you?"

"I think first we have to get him to stop looking for an answer."

"He'll never stop."

"Then we just have to get him to understand that there is no saving me."

"I have read Marcus's Wave, Em. He would rather die than give up on saving you. In fact, his drive is the only thing keeping him going. It's like he doesn't see the world anymore. He only sees you."

"We can't let the world end because of me."

"The decision isn't ours. It's all Marcus."

"Where is he?" I ask.

"Same place he's been for the past month..."

I walk into the Guardian's home and find him sitting exactly where I knew he would be-on the living room floor reading. Every inch of the room is covered with books. They range from the history of the Council to angel fairytales.

He has read and reread every one of them. Every book says the same thing: A Dy can't be cast out without killing the being it was hidden in. No matter what, in order to get the Triplex, Marcus has to take my life. There is no question about it: my Angel is in h.e.l.l.

"Hey," I call out softly from the doorway.

He doesn't answer. I don't think he even knows I'm here. I walk up to him and tap him on the shoulder. Startled, he looks up at me. There's sadness in his eyes. But the sadness can't take away his inexplicable beauty. He's hot no matter what's going on.

It's just my luck, I fall for a gorgeous Angel and what do you know? He has to kill me...

"What? What is it? What's wrong?" Marcus asks on high alert. His biggest fear aside from having to take my life is that the Akons will find out about the Dy and come after me, or worse, Lucy will.

I'm actually okay with Lucy coming after me. I have wanted to kill her since she murdered my mom. I know I'm no match for her but I don't care. I would like to strike her just one time. I don't tell Marcus because the thought of me going up against the source of all evil doesn't sit well with him.

"I thought you were going to pick me up and we were going to the parade?"

"Yeah, on Halloween right? That's days away."

"It's tonight."

"Oh. Sorry," He says, never taking his eyes away from the pages that lay out before him.

"Marcus, you need to recharge."

"I will in a minute."

"No, you need to rest now."