Beacons

When Max didn’t follow the other out: Alyssa watched the large man momentarily then turned to her father. “Why don’t we find somewhere to talk?”

“Yes,” her father seemed unphased by Max not moving.

The two ended up in the bedroom she had been sharing with Peter. Alyssa sat on the bed while her father took the chair on the side of the room and moved it closer.

Alyssa breathed, it was good to see him again, to have him here but she didn’t know where to begin. “Does it seem like five years to you?”

“Yes and no. Time wasn’t very liner where I was.” Matt responded honestly.

“Where was that?” The hacker wasn’t sure she really wanted the answer but needed to know.

“For most of it, I was trapped in a large dark hole.” Matt’s mind wouldn’t let him forget. “Have you had any effects?:

“Yes, nightmares. Waking up in places and not knowing how I got there. I vanished a few hours ago when we were all at the church. Also, memory loss of sorts. I never remember the nightmares. I have no recollection of where I’ve gone during those times.” Alyssa explained.

“That might be a good thing. You need to protect yourself in any way you can. This thing that’s after you, it is not the Countess, she came later. It is pure evil.” Matt wished he could spare his daughter from this truth but she needed to know what was after her. “It is very powerful…and…”

Something was happening …. Her father’s face seemed to expand and then skin was peeling off it. Alyssa screamed, or thought she did but it wasn’t audible. Her father …not her father. “Alyssa, Alyssa it’s okay.”

She fell to the ground., Matt caught her and carried her to the bed. “You can’t have her.” He had a feeling about what was behind this. He was fine, completely unharmed but obviously, his daughter had seen something that horrified her.

“Alyssa, look at me. I’m fine. Look at me.”

The hacker did just that, blinked a few times and saw her father was fine. She breathed deeply and wiped a few tears from her eyes. “I thought… never mind.”

“I can’t stay with you. The two of us together are like a beacon for that thing.” Matt said.

“But I just got you back,” Alyssa said. In reality, she had just gotten him because he was actually present for once in her life.
“I’ll be no farther away than a phone call or text, but I have to go,” Matt reluctantly said, he really didn’t want to leave her either, not so soon.. “I’ll most likely be at headquarters for a while so easy to find” The man paused, “”I am proud of you. You have become an amazing agent and person.”

“Thank you,” She wiped a few tears from her eyes. The two took a moment to hug. Then went back downstairs to the others.