Through Another's Eyes_Keeper of the Lost Cities

Stolen Again

"Ya know, it would be nice if you would give me a little warning before hand. Maybe a little note saying 'Hey! Just so you know you're not going to get much sleep tonight because I'm going to steal you away to the Forbidden Cities again and try and convince you to join my club!'"

Keefe stared pointedly at the hooded figure who stood across from him on the tall archway. Human cars drove underneath them on the ground and a tower made of metal bars stood across from them. "Where are we this time?" Keefe asked.

"We are in Paris, France, the human city. We are standing on top of the Arc de Triomphe. That over there is the Eiffel Tower." He pointed to the wrought iron structure across the way. Keefe followed his gaze. He recognized the tower know that he knew it's name. He had heard it during his human studies session at Foxfire. Apparently it was very famous among humans. Keefe couldn't see why. Compared to Eternalia, it was a pile of wires.

Humans can be so weird. I guess that explains Foster. Keefe laughed to himself.

"So, if this is going to be a regular thing, this meeting up, you need to give yourself a name for me." Keefe said to the man. The man turned his head to the side as if thinking, before replying.

"Bea. You can call me Bea."

"Isn't that a girl's name?" Keefe asked.

"And you know for sure that I'm not a girl?" Bea replied curtly. When Keefe was silent, Bea continued.

"So, Keefe, tell me about yourself." Keefe was startled by the cordial question. He had been expecting another threat or some grand revealing of secrets to make Bea trustworthy. "Well, what do you want to know?" Keefe asked.

"Why don't we sit down." Bea gestured to the wall of the arc. Keefe was so surprised, he complied.

"How about you tell me your favorite color?" Bea asked.

"Um . . . Orange." Said Keefe. "What's your's?" Bea looked as taken aback as a figure can with their hood up and he took a moment before answering. "White."

"Like the fires in the Forbidden Cities?" Keefe asked. Bea chuckled. "Someone is determined!" Keefe didn't relent. "Am I right?"

Bea sighed. "Keefe, when the time is right, I will explain all about those fires an their significance to the Neverseen, you, and your friends. For now, I just want to get to know you. Is that so much to ask?"

Keefe folded his arms. "How am I supposed to trust you when you won't even let me see your face?"

Bea sighed again. "Well because for one thing, I'm not actually here." Then, he reached up and slowly removed his hood to reveal. . . nothing. Where his head should be, Keefe saw French landscape. Keefe reached out slowly to touch the place where Bea's head should be and and felt nothing but air. Bea removed one glove and it was the same story for his hand. He simply wasn't there. Bea replaced his clothing so that he had a firm again and Keefe looked at him open mouthed, waiting for an explanation.

"Physical, I am not actually here. My body is currently at another location. Mentally I am present, if you will, in the flesh. This is a safety precaution for both you and me. You never know what might occur being so exposed." He eyed the city beneath them. "There are ways to track my body because I am so far away from the shielded Neverseen base that would endanger us both. Plus, like the story behind the fires, my identity will be disclosed at the appropriate time and place. Do you understand?" Keefe nodded. If this man could transport Keefe from his bed to the Forbidden Cities without anyone noticing, why couldn't he do it to himself? Bea pulled Keefe from his thoughts.

"Ok, so, where were we?"