The next day, earlier in the morning than Shara would have liked, the four of them met at D.J.'s house. Martin was on vacation at the moment, so they had to get their own snacks. After raiding the fridge and some small talk about how D.J.'s tour was going to start in a couple of months, they sat together in the den.
"So," Quinn started out, "You all know why we're here? Liza filled you in?"
Everyone nodded.
"Any ideas?"
Blank looks all around. Liza's already low heart lowered a little further. How could they come up with a solution when she couldn't?
"That's okay. Just start throwing stuff out there. Maybe something will be worthwhile."
"We can't kill him. We can't leave your father there to fight him. We can't allow you to take over. What can we do?" D.J. started.
"Are there any weaknesses?" Shara asked.
"Well, I was able to escape him when he attacked me by remembering that I wasn't dreaming and he wasn't really hurting me. But so many other people won't know that," Liza said.
"That's good, though. It's a start," said Quinn. "How can we use that to our advantage?"
Stumped, they quietly sat again.
"Tell me again what happens if he dies?" D.J. asked.
"His spirit would be free to roam the entire planet; killing anybody who's asleep," Liza answered.
"Oh."
"Do you have any weaknesses that he would have?" Quinn asked.
Liza looked at him, slightly alarmed. Quinn put his hand on her shoulder.
"If you have them, so does he. We can use them on him if we know them."
Uncomfortable, Liza shifted position, causing Quinn to take his hand off her shoulder. She didn't like the idea of people knowing her weak spots. Even if she didn't know how they could use them on her.
"He has a point, Liza," Shara said.
Liza sighed.
"I can't touch the dead. If I do, I don't know exactly what happens. (PUT IN FORESHADOWING OF WEAKNESS AROUND THE DEAD IF THEY TOUCH HER IN BOOK ONE) I get weaker and I can't concentrate very well."
"That's good. Now if we can just get a dead guy to hang onto the criminal, we're set," D.J. said.
Liza smiled wryly.
"There're plenty of them at the hospital, I just don't know how to get them to listen to me. They can see me and touch me, but they don't seem to hear me."
"Maybe you could play charades with one of them," Shara joked.
"But, how would a dead person get inside of his head?" Quinn asked.
Liza shook her head.
"They can't. They seem to only be able to visit dreams here and there, but not like dreamwalkers. They can only carry messages or check on loved ones," she answered.
"So, the trick is to get the criminal out of his body, and into the arms of a waiting dead person. Sounds easy enough." Quinn smiled crookedly at Liza, making her heart skip a beat.
"Somehow, I don't think the military is going to go for that. They spend this long holding the guy and now you go and tell them that you want to kill him because you have a plan to hook him up with dead people? I'm not thinking they're going to set that up," Shara said. "And besides, where are you going to find a dead person that will hold onto him?"
"Maybe we don't have to find a dead person to come to him. Maybe we should take him to the dead people. Or, more correctly, Liza can take him," Quinn said.
"Me?"
"You can overpower him. You're stronger than he is. As far as the military is concerned, you don't even have to be in the same building as them to do this. You can be at home, in your own bed. Get your dad to release him, then ask your dad for help releasing the guy from his body. Wait beside his bed until he comes out and grab him and drag him to the hospital. Maybe you could take him to the morgue. Or even a graveyard or someplace dead people hang out. If there're enough of them, they'll keep him occupied. He won't be able to escape because he'll be too weak."
"And what if they don't?" Shara asked.
"We'll find a way. Even if we have to get a medium or something. You know, somebody that talks to the dead. We have to do what we can to save both Liza, and her father. And the world!" Quinn was becoming very impassioned. Liza hadn't seen him this animated before. He must be very worried about her. She placed a hand on his knee, which he clasped tightly, but not uncomfortably so.
She looked around at her friends. Could this idea work? It might not if they told the military about it. She nodded.
"Let's try it. Let's find a medium or whatever and see what they can do to help."
They all agreed and the guys went to talk about D.J.'s touring. Shara took Liza aside.
"Are you sure about this? I'm not sure that leaving the military out of things is the best thing. I mean, they've been dealing with this guy for almost two decades. They should know a lot."
"Not enough to help."
"Okay, no, but there's got to be another way. This one is so risky."
"Got any other ideas?"
"No. I'm just worried about you is all."
Liza looked at her friend.
"You really are a great friend."
Shara embraced her.
"You be careful, ok? Come back to me whole and not all crazy. That's my job."
Liza and Shara were both chuckling when Quinn walked up and put an arm around Liza's shoulders.
"What's going on here?"
"Oh nothing, just a little truth," Liza answered with a smile.
"Ah. Are you ready to go?" Quinn had brought both of them there in his aunt's car.
"Yeah, sure. Let me get my purse."
Quinn rolled his eyes.
"Women and their accessories."
Shara playfully bopped him on the arm with the back of her hand and Liza laughed as she bent over to pick up her purse.
"It's better than me having you hold everything in it, right?"
Just as Liza was straightening up, she could have sworn she saw something in the shadow. It was slightly more tangible than a shadow, but not much. But when she tried to focus on it, it was gone.
