T.O.R.N.: There's Only Right Now

Chapter 15 The Plot

It had been a week in a half since Michael had escaped Sing Sing. However, no one from The Wave had heard from him and Marie hadn't been able to connect with him on a telepathic level. Aissa wasn't sure if he had escaped at all. Her doubt and anxiety built daily. Nyrraw had suggested that Michael was purposefully quiet and undetectable to negate any effort by The Sephiren to recapture him. But the silence was getting under all of their skin and The Sephiren was unusually silent as well. There was no APB out for Michael nor mention of his escape on any local or national television networks, which was odd according to Obadias and Aissa because The Sephiren notoriously used law enforcement to detain individuals that were a threat to the veil.

Asante and Chelo were tasked with the continued search of all social media and television networks for anything related to Michael. This morning all of the stations were abuzz with the new presidential candidate that replaced a senator who had to step down because of an infidelity scandal. Asante was about to change the channel when the new candidate came from behind a curtain and stepped up to the podium.

Her pulse started to race and sweat formed on her forehead as Chelo and the room disappeared from her view. Although he had traded his scruffy brown suit for a black one, there was no denying it. The presidential candidate was Mr. Douglas from the police station all those many years ago.

"What's wrong, Asante?"

Asante tried to speak, but she was having some type of post-traumatic episode. "It's, it's, it's...But, it's?"

"It's what, Asante?" Chelo urged her to answer. Asante continued to try, but nothing intelligible would come out of her mouth. "Aissa!" Chelo screamed out. A moment later, Aissa ran into the media room where she found Asante with a look of fear and confusion on her face and Chelo who wiped her brow.

"What is it, what's going on?" Aissa asked. Asante still too overwhelmed to speak, pointed at the television. Aissa stood still in her tracks. Douglas. A moment later.

"There they are. They are making their move." Chelo looked to Aissa for answers.

"It's The Sephiren. They are taking up a new strategy, more control, more visibility," Aissa concluded. Then she knelt down to face her sister. "Asante, breathe deeply. We knew The Sephiren would seek to deepen their dominance over the population. More and more individuals are no longer accepting their reality. That combined with you, me, and Daddy in the wind, they are operating out of fear which means they will ultimately meet their demise. Let's not forget, they are afraid of you, the possibility of you being The Aurora is why you were monitored all this time, you can bring an end to their existence. I know it's upsetting to see him, but we must move forward with our purpose." This calmed Asante a bit, but she was still anxious about her role in "our" purpose.

"So do you think I am The Aurora?"

"I think it's a very real possibility"

Asante decided to call out the elephant in the room. "We don't know if our father is alive or dead. And although Marie has transcribed the contents of Mommy's notebook, without him we are just as lost as we were before!" She nearly yelled at Aissa.

"Please have hope, we have you, Asante!" Aissa rebutted. Asante could feel a lump in her throat rise as she thought of her response.

"Who am I? I accidentally performed a miracle? I don't know how I'm doing any of this. I can barely wrap my mind around the possibility of what you all can do yet I've seen it with my own eyes." She shook her head as she looked at the floor.

Chelo then stepped forward and interjected. "You will learn. Be patient with yourself. We will help you see for yourself what we hope for you and all of humanity. Living in The Now, being in The Now, no longer chained by the pains of your past, nor the anxieties of your future."