~ Before the Clock Struck One ~

Chapter 9

~*~ Chapter Nine~*~

~*Present Time*~

Gypsy, Aaron, and Cody sat in silence.

Now that he was finished telling his tale, they had to finish believing it.

Cody stood.

Aaron stood.

Gypsy shook her head. "Aaron, it's okay. We know what it's like to be controlled by him. We know that he can only control one person at a time. And we know how to fight his influence now. You can calm down, give him some space."

Aaron sat, and Cody walked away to let them think about their decision to let him stay with the Elite or not.

"I don't trust him," Aaron said for the umpteenth time, glaring in Cody's general direction.

"Really? I hadn't noticed," Gypsy retorted sarcastically.

"He's going to cause nothing but trouble—"

"—for those who he is against. If he's on our side, then he won't be a problem. He's going to feel right at home with the Elite, especially after the others have initiated him."

Aaron turned to look her in the eyes. She seemed sincerely relaxed in the presence of this unpredictable power... so much so that it was unsettling him.

"How can you be so sure about this?" he asked her. "I mean, I know you created Aurora, so you probably can control everybody—"

"Aaron, I don't control them. Once I have created them, I let them make their own decisions. I may sometimes offer subtle suggestions, but I don't make them do something they don't want to. If they choose well, then they may live well. Not sunshine and roses, mind you – but still better than if they gave themselves over to foolish and harmful pursuits; in which case their suffering is their own consequence.

"Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't just sit by and watch as they destroy their lives, and then say later, 'You made your choice, now live with it'. Sometimes, they just won't let me help them. I mean, it's not that I can't help them without their express permission, but rather I won't. Not because I don't care, but instead because if I controlled them against their will then it wouldn't be them making the choices, and therefore the consequences incurred by their actions shouldn't rightly fall on their shoulders, but rather mine."

"Then how on earth do you keep this place from destroying itself?"

She looked back at him and smiled. "To be honest, I'm not really sure. I'm constantly tweaking it, so that everything remains in balance... but sadly, sometimes tweaking the scales just isn't enough."

"So on which side of the scales does Cody fall?"

"If I told you that, I'd have to kill you."

He groaned in exasperation. "Come on, just tell me."

She kept her silence.

"Gypsy, please tell me. You've never kept secrets from me before."

She leaned across the small round table and kissed him on the forehead.

"Aaron, trust me when I say that I am certain that whatever happens will work out for good in the end."

"That's just your way of saying he's allowed to join the Elite," Aaron sighed.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her around the table to sit on his lap. "May I ask why?"