Aquabase
The Rangers returned to the Aquabase and headed to the cafeteria. Within minutes, their table had bowls full of all kinds of food and snacks. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm worn out." Chad sighed.
"Me too. I think I'll rest for a while before I do anything else." Kelsey agreed.
At that moment, Dana got an idea. "Hey, how about we do another challenge?" She suggested.
Chad, Kelsey and Joel agreed, eager to try another summoning of a supernatural being. "I don't know." Ryan said.
"Oh come on Ryan." Dana pleaded, "You know they're fun."
But he remained unconvinced. "I'm not sure. Some things aren't meant to be played with." He reasoned, "And supernatural beings, real or not, probably don't like being disturbed."
But when he looked back to Dana she was giving him that "little-sister-pouting-face" that brothers tend to receive from time to time. "Alright alright." He relented.
"How about you Carter?" Chad asked.
"I'll pass." He said.
"Why?" Dana asked.
"They never really work anyway. What's the point?" He countered.
"Please? You don't even have to participate." Kelsey promised.
"Its not going to work." Carter insisted.
Then, Joel had an idea of his own. Turning he tapped Carter on the shoulder. "How about we make this interesting?" He asked.
Carter became suspicious when he heard this. All of Joel's ideas were crazy enough without some kind of superstitious nonsense attached to it. "What'd you have in mind?" He asked.
"Since you're so convinced it's all a bunch of nonsense, how about we give you a challenge to do on your own." Joel explained.
"How is this supposed to persuade me?" Carter asked.
"Because we're raising the stakes." Joel replied, "We give you one of the scariest and most hardcore challenge we can find and you do it. If it doesn't work: we'll admit that you're right and we'll give up on these challenges. But if it does work and you get out with your life: you have to admit we were right and that you were wrong."
Carter thought it over as he ate. A chance to prove the others wrong on this has finally risen. But then again, why go through with it if it's too easy? But an opportunity like this just couldn't be passed up. "Alright I'll do it." He finally said, "What've you got planned?"
A glimmer of mischief passed over Joel's eyes. "Are you religious?" He asked.
"Not really." Carter answered, "Why?"
Joel's grin widened. Standing he draped his arm around Carter's shoulder and they started for the exit. "We've got the perfect challenge in mind for you." He explained, "You know Mariner Bay Cathedral?"
"Yes." Carter replied
"Well, what you need to do is to sneak into the cathedral and summon you-know-who." Joel said, pointing to the ground, "And challenge him to a game of Questions and Response"
It took a moment for Carter to process what exactly Joel meant, but when it came to him, he gave him a look of annoyance. "Really?" He asked. "The Devil?"
Joel nodded. "And how exactly am I supposed to do that?" He demanded.
Joel held up a piece of paper which Carter accepted. On it were the rules of the game and the procedure for summoning the Devil. "When do I do this?" Carter asked.
"Tonight." Joel replied
Carter gave it some more thought. 'Do I really want to do this? Just to prove a point?' He wondered. Finally he made his decision. "Alright. I'll go get the supplies and get started." He said.
"One other thing. I'm going with you to make sure you do it." Joel added.
"You can't." Carter denied.
"Why not?" Joel asked.
"Well if you'd read what you wrote, you'd see that the church has to be empty." Carter explained.
Joel stood for a moment and processed it. "Dang" he said.
"Don't worry." Carter assured, "I'll do it."
After gathering his supplies, he packed them into his backpack and set off for the cathedral.
