"Somewhat. Yes, they wanted me to live with them but there is also the fact that Diana despises my father. He is...different. She thinks he derailed my mother's future by convincing her to elope with him and Diana has been trying to compel my mother to cut her losses ever since."

I opened my mouth to ask more questions but Reid cut me off.

"We don't have time to rehash all of those details right now, Whit. The reason I am telling you all of this is so you are ready when Diana tries to disarm you of as much information as she can. The easiest thing to do when she puts you on the spot about my parents is to reflect the image that they work hard to portray: my father is a pompous jerk and my mother is numb in her country club world. The less you show you know, the better."

"Why would she put me on the spot about your parents, Reid? Does she know I have met them?" I interrupted.

"No. But she is an empath. I can't disguise how I feel about you enough for her not to be able to see our relationship. She will naturally a.s.sume you have met my parents because she will know you are close to me." I studied Reid for a moment as I thought about his complicated role in a family that wielded a different kind of power.

"I don't like that look of concern but I'm not telling you about my family to try and solve anything, Whit. Believe me, I don't think it is possible."

"I'm not trying to solve them. I rarely do something that is a waste of my energy. I'm simply trying to *antic.i.p.ate the difficult by managing the easy' like Mr. Parks says. I am just puzzled that YOU might be the easy part of this equation. How is that possible?" I asked.

Reid smiled and relaxed for the first time since we walked into the room. "I should have known you would not have been intimidated. You really are so c.o.c.ky. How exactly do you plan on managing me?"

I put my arms around him. "Haven't you heard the strategy of keeping your friends close but your boyfriend closer?" He smelled fresh and crisp, like balsam and cloves.

"No, and I'm all for it but before you make another military advance I want you to know my mind will be closed whenever Diana is around and I hope you will do the same. It is the only way to guarantee she will only know what you choose to tell her."

The cabin flashed with light from an approaching car. I looked out the window and saw headlights reflecting on the water. Dr. West and Diana had arrived. Reid sighed with disappointment and opened the cabin door.

"Don't worry. My military advance involves a long-term strategy. Rome wasn't built in a day."

"Or on an empty stomach. Something smells good and much better than stale crackers. Decisions, decisions," Reid said from behind me as we walked toward the galley. I stopped short so he ran into me. "Oops," I said as I heard him sigh in annoyance, and I skipped away with a laugh before he could retaliate.

It was apparent I had interrupted Blair and Patrick by the way they looked up from the table. Two bowls of chowder were in front of them and a tiny bell dinged.

"That must be the rolls," Blair said, getting up.

"Rolls?" I said incredulously. I watched Reid grab two more bowls and fill them at the stove. He set two more on the counter.

"Yeah. It's a kind of bread." Blair rolled her eyes at me. "You could get out the b.u.t.ter if you wanted to actually be helpful. Don't worry, I read the label. They are nut free."

Reid grinned. "What's wrong, Whit? They don't allow b.u.t.ter at San Quentin? Don't worry, your secrets are safe with me."

I knew I was beat. Blair had defeated me in snack preparation and I graciously got the b.u.t.ter out of the small galley refrigerator and set it on the table. I thanked Blair and was ready to sit down next to her until Reid directed me into the seat closest to the wall. I realized it was the seat that would put me the furthest distance from Diana, who climbed aboard moments later.

Reid's advance warning about Diana was justified. I immediately liked her and could tell the feeling was mutual. Her sparkling personality was infectious and she had everyone laughing and joking in no time. I had to work harder to maintain my closed mind while I was laughing and I acknowledged this was a cunning move on her part.

Diana had green eyes and a small face that matched her sprightly features. Her long, sandy blonde hair was loose and fell down her back, and her white linen shirt was simple but had an expensive cut. The fabric seemed to radiate the glow of the bright moon from the water and enhanced the gleam of her liquid silver necklace and earrings. She was mesmerizing.

Blair and Patrick were enchanted with Diana and I noticed Diana often warmly rested her hand on Blair's shoulder. Her fingernails were short and unpainted and there were no rings on her long fingers. I quietly hoped to myself that if she was accessing information from Blair it was mostly about Patrick. Blair knew how much I cared about Reid and those were thoughts I would rather not reveal to his aunt.

Dr. West was as closed off as Reid and I, although more adept at keeping the conversation refocused toward our objective. He academically reminded Diana why he brought her along by unfurling a large map of Africa and explained to us Diana was an expert in geomythology and archeology. Diana had reason to believe the coming weekend would afford us a unique opportunity to locate an ancient artifact that had been infused with pure energy.

"What? There's MORE pure energy out there?" I blurted out before Dr. West could say anything else. I thought we had destroyed the only remaining evidence of pure energy that could fall into Carson's hands. I had been willing to risk everything for one shot but I hadn't signed up for the pure energy clean-up crew. And Africa? The rocket boosters of my flight response were roaring to life.

Dr. West gave me a hard stare with his resolute blue eyes. I didn't have to be in his mind to hear him telling me to settle myself. He cleared his throat and offered, "I'll let Diana finish explaining since this has recently come to my attention and it is not my specialty."

He effectively told me that this was news to him as well. His comment served to quell my protest and make Diana focus on the task at hand.

"Right. OK. Well, I have always been interested in reclusive clans or tribes of people. Anyone know what the Greek word keltoi means?...Not even a guess? Come on. One of you has to know it and why it is relevant." Diana looked like she had started off with the easiest question imaginable and Blair and Patrick stared back at her like she had to be joking.

I let my eyes drift toward Reid and Diana grinned. I nodded slightly in answer to her unasked question that yes, I knew Reid was a polyglot.

"It's Greek for *hidden people.' It's how the Celts got their name. As to its relevancy, I'm not sure except it is our family lineage." Reid answered like it was pulling teeth. Of course, I knew Reid's ability with languages but it was a surprise for Blair and Patrick. They looked at him like he had just pulled a quarter out of his ear and then made it disappear.

"Exactly. Hidden people usually are reclusive for good reason. They don't need other groups to sustain themselves or they have something they don't want anyone else to have.

"The Celts were a fascinating people with a superior matrilineal society. There were no empty-headed beauties for the Celtics. Women were honored for their body and their mind and their myths reveal a pa.s.sionate, creative, and resourceful people with women at the spiritual and moral pivot of the society.

"In fact, it was the women who often led the men in battle. They were considered experts in the arts of combat and love-which some argue is one and the same. Would you agree, Whitney? I have heard from Yoshi Parks you are his greatest joy to watch. That is saying something since I have seen Reid in the arena and have never seen anyone move faster." Diana gave me an easy smile as she tossed me the loaded question. ?

My intuition flared that she was trying to trap me with flattery. "You have heard wrong. Mr. Parks does not even allow me to compete because I am not good enough." I shrugged and gave her a blank stare. Mr. Parks was not here to verify what she said and she could be making a lucky guess.

"Hmm. And here I thought it might be a case of history repeating itself. You see, there was once a great warrior who sought out a powerful G.o.ddess because he wanted to become the ultimate champion and protector. The G.o.ddess taught the warrior martial arts, feats of strength, and incredible strategic insights to win battles. She also gave him magical weapons, the most important being Gath Bolag, also known as the Spear of Light, which is said to illuminate when it is in the hands of its rightful owner. The Scots are serious about their family lines with good reason...the Spear of Light will never battle against its family line and is the ultimate protector." Diana looked sharply at Reid and he did not meet her gaze. He knew what she was talking about but sent a clear signal he did not want to talk about it.

Impulsively, I crossed into Diana's mind and saw her arguing with Bonnie over Reid's father, Lockerby. It was his bloodline Diana disapproved of, and she reminded Bonnie how badly things had ended for the warrior she had mentioned earlier. She bitterly told Bonnie that superhuman champions could still make tragic mistakes because wrongs not righted would repeat themselves.

Dr. West impatiently rapped his pen on the table and I closed my mind. Diana refocused and continued her story. "This spear is said to be one of the Four Celtic Treasures. Remember when I said reclusive people often have reasons for no reliance on other groups or societies? The Celts and their predecessors had special mental gifts that were pa.s.sed through family lines, and they used treasures that helped them win battles, stave off intruders, and select just rulers. The spear is one of these treasures and it is fused with pure energy. And every fifty years, there is a particular astral orbit that causes the spear to glow as it searches for a skilled seeker who also has certain pure energyabased gifts from its line of descendants."

"This is a great story. But are you saying there really is a spear that can recognize who is holding it?" Patrick asked. He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in disbelief.

"That's exactly what I am saying. That's why the bloodline of kings was so intricately arranged for generations. They all wanted access to the spear and the other Celtic treasures if at all possible. You see, the spear has a b.l.o.o.d.y past but it will never battle against those with pure energy in its generational line. In fact, it has been recounted to twist in flight to defend someone from its ancestral heritage."

"And you think you have located this spear?" Blair's eyes were wide with excitement. I was afraid to hear the answer. This was the reason Reid was so serious. He knew they had found it.

"Yes. I am almost certain I have traced its location," Diana said as she pointed to the map of Africa. "It's getting it out that may be a problem."

Chapter Four: The Dogon.

"How does this involve the four of us?" Patrick asked. His arms remained folded across his chest and Diana looked expectantly at Dr. West.

He cleared his throat and moved a little uncomfortably in his seat. "Diana, I haven't had time to go over all the ancient mythology with them. You can hit the highlights but don't delve too deep."

Diana was not pleased. "OK. I will try and provide a brief summary and explain why this team will be involved in retrieving the spear. First, let me explain the reason for the name Sundial. It is a codename the Sunrise operation gave to someone better known in oral traditions as the Light Bringer. Since we know Carson Noir will have other psychics trying to find Whitney, we don't want to give her any insights she might not have. You see, in folklore and myth, the Light Bringer has more access to the ancient fire of creativity and regeneration than any person on Earth. You know this fire by the scientific name of pure energy and you also know the Sundial as Whitney Forbes, the girl discovered by Dr. West when she was a child. Are you following me?" We all nodded our heads yes. My mind was clicking with muted questions. Did that mean the super race Dr. West mentioned had existed for some time?

Diana continued, "Whitney has fulfilled the prophecy of the Light Bringer in many ways. She was born on one continent and hidden on another after the death of her mother..."

I bit my lip thinking about how I didn't want to discuss the traumatic death of my mother and my father's subsequent request to transfer to Washington, D.C. My father was convinced she was murdered and he did not want to stay in Great Britain after our security had been breached.

"Diana, we really can't get into all the particulars," Dr. West interrupted sternly. "We don't have time for a recitation of The Prophecy of St. Berchan or Sunrise's historical connection to Alba. Tell them why THEY are getting the spear and not you and I."

My discomfort must have been obvious, since Diana's expression softened as she remembered a central figure in her myth was sitting diagonally across the table and she was talking about my dead mother.

"As I said, in the ancient lore, the Sundial is more frequently referred to as the Light Bringer. A Light Bringer is someone who brings the light of elevated states. These individuals are often skilled in martial arts, strategy, meditation, prophecy, Druidic knowledge, healing, and poetry. But what makes a Light Bringer truly unique is that the individual is a master of timing and innately understands natural time. This person nimbly exists between the cosmic order of the upper world, the physical world, and the lower world.

"You see, to one skilled in prophecy, or what you would call an intuitive, time is not organized into minutes and seconds. That is man-made time. To an intuitive, time is another dimension that always exists. It is an *eternalism' philosophy, meaning that all points in time are equally real as opposed to the *presentist' idea that only the present is real.

"In myth and in history, the Light Bringer appears on the world stage when a shadow is casting a grim darkness on the chances of the survival of the human race. This person is called upon to help us find the better angels of our nature and to follow the light of survival-the light of transcendence. Otherwise, our existence as a race will end. The Light Bringer is said to be able to ensure the good of all by casting away shadow because they can create light from darkness."

Diana had said "the better angels of our nature," which happened to be my father's favorite line from Lincoln's 1861 inaugural address. It didn't feel like a coincidence. Was she alluding to the fact that Lincoln was a Light Bringer?

"The Light Bringer may be modest and humble but something about him or her catches people's attention. This person is a natural leader and accepts command without wanting power-change for the better is all that he or she truly desires and this is a rare trait. Knowing that nothing is free, the Light Bringer often pays a high price."

Great. Sounds like a dead-end job, literally. No chance of promotion and the payoff is a.s.sa.s.sination? A memory suddenly sparked in my mind as I recalled someone had begged Lincoln not to go to the play and he ignored the request. It wasn't his wife, since she was in the theater box with him. That's right. It was his bodyguard, William Crook. Lincoln knew Crook had been on duty for over twenty-four hours and, despite his pleas, refused him and let a lackl.u.s.ter bodyguard go in his place. Lincoln was known to be cavalier about his personal safety. I could hear my father's voice in my head saying Lincoln lacked situational awareness.

"Why would this person do it? I'm not advocating the human race be cast into darkness or anything but if their demise is deserved, why rescue them at your own expense?" Patrick gave a light shrug before spooning in another heaping helping of chowder. I had lost my appet.i.te despite the comforting smell of the fresh-baked rolls that lingered in the air.

"Excellent question, Patrick. The Light Bringer is someone who knows that to achieve nirvana in the next dimension you must stretch beyond who you are in this dimension. An eternalist is not content with material success in this moment of time but wants to fulfill the law of karma across time. Doing what's right often requires a selfless act but the Light Bringer innately understands that in saving others, they are also saving themselves.

"You see, for a Light Bringer, it is not a choice, it is simply what makes sense. It is a higher level of expectation of how to treat people. In fact, to me it is obvious Charlemagne's Code of Chivalry was written by those with pure energy." She nodded her head in expectation of our agreement. Instead, we stared at her blankly, not knowing what she meant.

"What DO they teach you in history cla.s.s? Charlemagne's Code of Chivalry...you know, to help the weak and defenseless, to refrain from giving offense, to despise financial rewards, to fight for the welfare of all, to keep faith, to respect the honor of women. Doesn't this ring any bells?"

We shook our heads. "Maybe that's why there is such a problem with bullies in high school. No one teaches good manners...much less how to save the world," Diana huffed. "And we wonder why we are on the brink of disaster once AGAIN. We are doomed to keep repeating the mistakes of the past if we don't ever learn its lessons."

"Well, that explains why I'm here. If Whitney has to save the world she can't get lost along the way. Too bad the only intuitive I know can't seem to read a map." Blair cut the tension with her sarcastic remark and Diana quickly adjusted out of her funk with a laugh.

"Intuitives follow their own true north, Blair. Whitney is an instrument of change. She follows her own path and it is one not marked on any map," Dr. West chimed in. He tossed a roll at me and I caught it before it hit the table. I heard his wordless directive to eat something.

I took a bite and he continued, "But to your point, Blair, the reason you are here is because our Sundial cannot accomplish this feat alone. That is why others have failed in the past or not reached their full potential. Although Whitney is sometimes not good at admitting it, she needs help. Which brings us to the point of why you are ALL going to Africa to retrieve the spear. Please tell me you all have at least heard of Achilles and his unprotected heel? Good. Those with pure energy have something similar, which we call blind spots. They are individual specific weaknesses. The four of you together enhance and fortify your strengths while one of you compensates for another's weakness. I am NOT going to get into the specifics of what those strengths and weaknesses actually are. Someone, who shall remain nameless, will undoubtedly argue against having any weakness whatsoever."

All eyes at the table pivoted toward me and I sighed in exasperation. "That is so not true. I can admit my weaknesses."

"Really? Name one," Dr. West challenged with a spark in his eye.

Without hesitation I replied, "Chocolate." Everyone laughed and I grinned.

"Didn't you say we needed to get back to Helga and Yoshi? I haven't even told them about the Dogon tribe or the ghost army yet," Diana mentioned as she dramatically pulled the spotlight back for herself.

"Ghost army? How are we getting to Africa? In the Mystery Machine van?" I squeaked. For the first time all night, Diana was the one who looked befuddled. Clearly, she was not an expert in popular cartoon culture. "Sorry, it was a s...o...b..-Doo reference that somehow seemed appropriate since I thought you said "ghost army." It reminded me of the s...o...b..-Doo Zombie Island episode but I must have misheard you." I shook my head as if I had water in my ears. Patrick nodded, recalling the episode and giving me some support that my a.n.a.logy was good fit.

"No, you heard correctly. The Dogon, another reclusive people who live in an isolated area, are guarding the Spear of Light. They are a harmonious and democratic people and this is probably the reason they were chosen to guard it in the first place, but over time some regional witch doctors have used the power of the spear against others. Those in the ghost army are being persecuted and only the spear can free them..." Diana calmly responded.

Patrick almost choked on his chowder. "Seriously? You do know that sounds crazy, right?"

"Well, it's about as crazy as deactivating an electromagnet in a toxic nuclear reactor with a makeshift field hockey stick before raw pure energy was released into the atmosphere. But you know, these sorts of *heroics' are the stuff legends are made of as the story is retold over the ages..." Diana used finger quotes around the word heroics. Her penetrating eyes landed on me and she said, "For saving my nephew, Whitney, I will always be in your debt."

My cheeks felt hot. It made me uncomfortable that she continued to allude that I was being discussed in Sunrise circles while I was not there.

Patrick pointed his clean spoon at me and clarified, "Lemme get this straight. You actually did that?" I would have phrased Diana's description of events differently, but I nodded my head and a smile broke across Patrick's face.

I looked at Reid out of the corner of my eye. He was intently watching Diana and seemed indifferent to what she said. Perhaps she was trying to get him to react to extract information but he refused to cooperate. I reminded myself that I needed to remain impa.s.sive.

"You were in a nuclear reactor, NOT in the hospital ICU? Well, I've always heard too much rest is bad for the patient. Sounds like a ghost army and a spear will be a piece of cake after that. Where are we going and when do we leave?" Patrick set down his spoon and looked around for a trip itinerary and airplane tickets to appear.

Reid's tense posture relaxed as he played along. "It was the hit of a lifetime-literally, in my case. I hardly saw the object go by me, it had so much force."

What was going on? Did humor disarm Diana? Patrick seemed intent on reducing the tension in the atmosphere and Reid jumped at the chance to do the same. Dr. West added to the protective humor barrier and pegged a roll past Reid's head.

"Like that?" he asked, and we all laughed as Reid looked around and pretended he had no idea what happened. Dr. West was not usually such a goofball and I had a feeling my hunch was correct.

"Do I need to remind you all that people are starving in Africa? We aren't wasting any more food," Blair weighed in as she moved the rolls.

Diana continued, "That's right, and you will soon see for yourselves. You are headed to the central plateau region of Mali in West Africa. This is the isolated home of the reclusive Dogon tribe and they live primarily in the highland hillsides and caves.

"According to their origin legends, they were visited by a water G.o.d they called Nommo-a deity from the star Sirius who gave them a great deal of astrological information. Some of this information was not confirmed and verified until 1970 when powerful telescopes discovered Sirius had a companion star like the Dogon had been saying since 3200 B.C. What's more, they were correct that the invisible companion star completes an orbit every fifty years, and the Dogon celebrated this...o...b..t for thousands of years. The companion star, known today as Sirius B, is a super-dense white dwarf invisible to the naked eye."

I whistled. "Talk about some insider information. And you think they were a reclusive tribe because they have something that helped protect them?"

"According to my research, the Dogon were given the Spear of Light in Alexandria, Egypt, and the Dogon are believed to be of ancient Egyptian descent. The Dogon use the glow of the spear to launch a festival called the Sigi every fifty years and the glow, I believe, is the distinctive light of pure energy forged into the blade of the spear, and it is triggered by the proximity of the Sirius star system." I was glad Dr. West's research partner, Dr. Cohen, was not here. I sensed if he were we would be getting a lecture on the physics of light and gravity. Thankfully, Diana did not seem as academic.

"How did you narrow it down to the Dogon?" Reid asked. His arms were folded across his chest and he gave Diana a critical stare. "I want to be sure this is not a wild goose chase. I imagine us showing up and asking for an ancient relic is not going to go over too well."

"Hopefully, you will be more creative in your approach than ringing the doorbell of their sacred cave and telling them to hand it over, Reid. Perhaps that is where Whitney's creative strength comes into play," Diana zinged back. Reid remained unemotional and I was impressed with his excellent control. "Try to remember that the Dogon are a harmonious people and taking something from anyone is usually NOT a good idea."

"I am not saying that is what I would do, but there are plenty of reclusive tribes in the world. Why this one?" Reid pressed in a calm and even voice.

"For starters, a lot of their mythology doesn't fit their geographic location, and they have sophisticated astrological knowledge that would be difficult to acquire in the middle of the desert. In addition, they KNOW about a group of people who have enhanced powers who are waiting to reclaim the spear. There is also the..."

Dr. West held up a hand and interrupted, "Tell them Nommo's more common name, Diana. It will make more sense to them."

"Oh, right. You may know Nommo as her other name of Vivienne. Or perhaps as the Lady of the Lake..."

Patrick coughed. He had been in the middle of swallowing another heaping dose of chowder. His rasped, "I've got to stop eating. As in the Lady of the Lake from King Arthur and Camelot?"

"Yes. She does appear in that legend. Except in there they only mention the Sword of Illumination and not the Spear of Light."

An intuitive shiver went up my spine as I murmured, "The sword is known as Excalibur and is also a pure energy weapon..."

It was odd how this was somehow all making sense to me. Patrick was not as easily convinced. His arms flailed about as he said, "Wait a minute. Wait a minute. You are all talking about this as if it is real. Isn't this a made-up a fairytale? A bedtime story?"

Diana ignored Patrick and looked directly at me as she answered, "In Welsh, it is not called Excalibur. Caledfwich is its name in the first Arthur legend but the sword goes by many other names throughout history. The sword, like Nommo, pops up in legends around the world."

Blair's eyes narrowed with doubt. "How do you know it is the same sword?"

I was almost certain Blair had never read the Arthurian legends. She hated fantasy and magic; Blair liked practical and realistic. She didn't even like The Wizard of Oz as a kid.

"It is hard to miss when a particular sword is repeatedly described as giving off the light of thirty torches when it is first drawn and known for blinding its adversary," Diana explained with a smile. The flash of brilliant light that went off in my mind was when the pure energy had been released into the atmosphere and blinded me in the truck. It was a stunning brightness unlike anything I had ever experienced. Yes, I knew that brightness. "It is always described as a golden hilt sword carved with twin dragons whose eyes of fire calm its bearer in the midst of chaos. The sword is etched with ancient magical writing up the side and has a small saying scripted at its base. It is a sword of rightful sovereignty that appears throughout history. It all goes back to the ancestral lines..."