The bath suite’s changing area was in complete shambles. The only pieces of furniture that managed to escape were a bench and a rather sturdy table. Even the ground didn’t escape the devastation. The once pristine marble floors were full of divots and cracks.

The level of destruction was surprising because there hadn't been any true direct physical confrontations between Veronica and Theo. The damage was caused when their Talents clashed ever so briefly. 

Lisey looked at the room's condition with obvious displeasure. As the matriarch of a Great House, she prided herself on always maintaining an emasculate residence. More accurately she took great pride ensuring that the myriad of servants the home maintained kept the home in immaculate condition.  This room represented the complete antithesis of that esthetic. 

Lisey did not come here dressed for battle. She simply wanted to make sure that the unknown quantity shaped like her son was being properly looked after. The power and how he wielded it were nothing like what she thought her son was capable of. Until she was certain about his identity she would take no unnecessary chances. Which was why she wanted to check on him while he was still unconscious. Looking at the remains of the room she was obviously too late to partake in that assessment.

Theo watched his mother with a wary eye, taking in every detail of her continence. In his mind, she wasn't a world-class beauty but her smooth alabaster skin and piercing ice-blue eyes were striking nonetheless. She wore a white blouse of exquisite mulberry silk and a royal blue knee-length cashmere skirt. Finishing the outfit was a pair of four-inch suede heels that perfectly matched her skirt and perfectly accentuated her long legs.

Sia possessed full access to Theo’s surface thoughts thus she was fully aware of what he saw if not exactly how he saw it. She followed the most basic tenant of her programming and stored the information in its perceived order of importance. Yet because of her emerging sentience caused her to label the file where she placed it, couldn’t care less. 

There were other matters she found far more important. Her feelings for Theo were complex, multi-layered and she didn't understand them at all. What she did understand clearly was that she only had eyes for him. This was a fact she would keep buried deep down in a place she was certain it would never be found. 

Unlike his mother, the fashion plate, Theo’s slender six-six frame was only covered by a simple white bath rode. The humble attire didn’t prevent him from resembling the handsome child of a noble family that he was. This image was helped by his Charisma which enhanced every positive attribute he possessed and negated all of the negative ones to a certain extent. 

Presently none of this mattered to Theo. A part of himself he still wasn't familiar with took in this information and stored it for later use. His eyes may have physically been looking at his mother, noting her appearance and other details but in reality, his mind was elsewhere. Unfortunately, this small detail went unnoticed by a certain someone. 

Jealousy, sharp and bitter reared its ugly head when Sia saw the direction Theo was looking in. If she could have gotten away with it she would have smacked in on the back of the head. *You do remember she’s your mother right?*

His eyes never left their target. *I am very much aware of that fact,* he replied blandly to her snarky statement. *If you weren't so busy looking at me you would have noticed what I'm actually looking at.*

Surprised by his answer she synced her perceptions to his and was shocked by what she saw. Tendrils of Jade of energy we're slowly seeping from Lisey’s feet and slowly creeping across the ground towards Veronica’s body. If Theo’s Jewels hadn't outranked Lisey’s she never would have seen them. 

“Is there a place we can put the maid until I’m strong enough to heal her?” He asked his mother in a calm polite voice.

The invisible tendrils of power paused. The calculating eyes that had been focused on the maid now zeroed in on Theo. She took one look at the expression she saw in his newly hazel eyes and sighed. She recalled her energy and snapped her fingers twice.

Fsst! Fsst!

Two individuals both dressed from head to toe in mask and dark loose-fitting garb suddenly appeared in the splintered doorway with barely a sound. They were both kneeling and their completely covered heads deeply bowed.

He tried to swallow in a dry throat. *Did you feel them?* He asked Sia,  shocked by what he just witnessed.

*No.*

“What is your will, My Lady?” The one on the left asked in a respectful tone. 

She gestured towards the fallen maid. “Take her to one of the empty guest rooms on the third floor and make sure she’s settled comfortably.”

“Yes My Lady.” The one on the right replied. “Do you have any other orders, My Lady?”

After a glance at Theo, she shook her head. “No. Take the girl and leave.”

They both bowed further until their heads touched the ground. “Your will, My Lady.” They said in unison. 

The one on the left stood up and walked with swift sure movements to the maid's side. 

She cleared her throat, drawing her son’s attention. “Now that your toy is being looked after can we focus on more important matters?”

Theo turned and shot his mother a hot glance. “She is not my toy,” he spat back. “She’s—“

*Gone.*

Surprised, he looked back and Veronica and his mother’s agents were gone. “What the hell?” He looked around frantically. Again he didn’t feel a thing. They took the maid and were gone before he knew it.   

Lisey looked at her son’s reaction and smiled faintly. “You have power but you lack control,” she noted. “If you possessed this control you would have noticed when my agents left with your girlfriend.”

Since what she said was essentially true Theo chose not to respond. He couldn’t even muster the energy to snap back at her backhanded girlfriend comment. 

Sia watched the latest interaction between mother and son and felt her level of understanding about human emotions. The question of why Theo didn’t tell his mother that the maid was someone’s Sleeper had been at the forefront of her thoughts. That was no longer the case. She had been on the verge of asking him his reasoning but after looking into his mother's cold calculating eyes she finally understood his reasoning.

If she noticed Theo’s unexplained pause she paid it no mind. She walked past him and continued speaking as if nothing happened. “Like I was saying we have important issues to deal with. First on that list is determining what happens to the Ranger who tried to kill my children.”

Something dark passed behind Theo’s eyes. “Where is she now?” He asked in a deceptively quiet voice.

Sia noticed the change with silent apprehension.

Lisey stopped and gave her son a quick evaluating glance. She also noticed the change and understood that she needed to handle how she felt with her son very carefully. The reasoning behind his sudden change in personality was plausible but the drastic nature of the change continued to shock her.

Lisey glanced at a fallen wet towel and crooked a finger at it. It flew to her outstretched hand. As soon as it touched her outstretched fingers she sent it flying into Theo’s face.

“Calm yourself. You won't do yourself or more importantly this family any good if you lose your composure now.” She turned and walked out of the room. ”Follow me. We need to check up on our fallen Ranger.”

He pulled the wet towel from his face. Sparks of lightning flashed through his eyes. ”Yes, mother.” 

---

*Initiating Primary Objective… Objective Failed. Unable to access external Network Hub.*

*Initiating Secondary Objective… Objective Failed. Unable to Communicate with this Units Host… Host is currently unresponsive due to… Error. Unit is unable to access any memory logs predating entry into the primary residence of House Powers.*

*Initiate Unit Diagnostic… No error found. Que current diagnostic result until access to the Network has been reestablished.* 

*Initiate Tertiary Objective… Accessing Damage to the Host… The host has sustained moderate damage to two out of three of its psychic layers.*

*Accessing the Nature and Level of Damage… Processing… 10% Damage to the host's third layer, Psychic Core… 30% Damage to the Host’s second layer, Inner Barriers… 0% Damage to the Host’s Outer Barriers.

*Accessing Unit’s Diagnostic Functions… Unable to heal the damage to this Host’s psyche.* 

*Conclusion. Hibernate until access to an outside Network Hub has been reestablished.*

*This Unit will enter hibernation in… Alert! An unknown program of significant power has been detected.* 

---

”Where exactly are you taking me, mother?” He asked as they turned down yet another cavernous hallway. 

After Theo and his mother left the bath suite they stopped briefly in an adjacent room so his mother could order the random the maid inside to find, as she termed it, proper attire for Theo to wear. The maid was gone and back again in less than five minutes. She held the requested clothes in a neatly folded pile in her outstretched arms. The grace exuded from the simple act of bowing and extended her arms to present the requested clothes spoke of years of diligent training. Her task completed, she looked at her mistresses, bowed, and left the room. 

Lisey folded her arms and tapped an impatient beat on the ground. ”Don't just stand there, go change. The sight of you in that dirty robe embarrasses my sensibilities.”

”I bet,” he muttered as he turned to enter the adjoining bathroom with his neat bundle.

”I’m sorry I didn't hear you clearly,” she said in a deceptively light voice. ”Did you say something?”

Regardless of how the words may have sounded to any nonexistent onlookers, for him, they were knife-edged warnings. They also helped to stir within him memories of many other interactions between them that were hauntingly similar to this one. 

With that in mind, he stopped mid-stride turned, looked at his mother, and gave her a short mocking bow. ”Simply thank you for providing me with some new clothes, mother,” he replied, showing her a crooked half-smile. ”Nothing more.” 

He quickly entered the bathroom and out of the line of fire.

She watched her son disappear quickly into the room and felt for the first time that she was talking to her son again. Memories of scenarios just like this one played out in her mind. From the mumbled words to that crooked smile it was vintage Theodore. 

While she was still deep in thought Theo walked out of the bathroom fully dressed. Since she was the one who told the maid what to bring, what her son wore didn't surprise her. What did surprise her was how good he looked in it. 

Theo wore a comfortable button-down white shirt, a pair of khaki-colored slacks, and some comfy loafers. Once his mother was satisfied with his appearance they started their journey. They first took an elevator down several floors to what he’d assumed was the basement. But if it was a basement it didn't look like any basement level he had ever seen. Except for the lack of exterior windows, this hallway looked exactly like all the other ones they walked through. 

The sharp legato impacts of Lisey’s heels marked their passage through the hallway. Every time they reached a sealed doorway she would use her palm to activate a hidden palm plate. Seconds later they would be granted access and move on. She repeated this procedure several times before she finally looked back briefly at her son, noting his improved appearance. ”I'm not surprised you don't recognize where we are now. You never would have had a reason to be down here.”

”And where is here exactly?” He asked again, irritated by the long-winded nonanswer and the fact that it took her forever to finally answer him. Though he was glad to discover that he had no prior knowledge of wherever they were going. It saved him the pain of trying to access his body's prior memories. ”We've been walking for what seems like forever.”

As was her custom she paid any discomfort her son may have expressed no mind. Lisey led them to a final door. ”This is the entrance to the Isolation Room.”

Theo smirked at the simple-sounding name. ”So this is where the mighty House Power puts their hated enemies in time out.” 

She looked over her shoulder and gave her son a disapproving glance. ”On the other side of this door is a room that strips an Awakened of their ability to use any form of power. And that is where the Ranger is being held.” She turned completely around and faced her son, a faint muscle twitch noticeably at the corner of her eye. ”If you would like I could have an identical room made for you.”

”No thanks, I'm good,” he said respectfully, taking a step back. ”So can I see her?”

Before she could answer one of her dark-clad agents appeared kneeling beside her. ”You have something for me?” she asked calmly, still looking at her son. 

”Yes My Lady,” the agent answered politely then made a long series of subtle hand gestures that Theo wouldn't be able to see.

Lisey noticed the furtive motions and reluctantly took her eyes off her son. She watched her agent communicate his message to her via the secret hand language known only to herself and her secret agents. Her expression changed from simple irritation into outright rage.

Theo knew he was in trouble when he saw breath in the air. ”So, eh did somebody forget to pay the heating bill?” He took two more steps back and started to shiver lightly. 

Lisey’s icy blue eyes flashed. ”Did you think I wouldn't find out?” She took another step towards him.

”Find out what?” he answered evasively, retreating another step. *Sia how much Talent can I muster right now?*

*Not enough. Right now you couldn't manifest any Jewel darker than the Opal.*

*So I'm fucked.*

*Yup.*

*How about my System Powers?*

*Nope. They pull from your Talent for fuel. And right now her Jewels outrank yours. It would be like bugs bouncing off a wall.*

*So I'm still fucked?*

*Yup.*

*Damn.*

She flexed each individual finger, traces of lightning enveloping them. ”That right, compound the insult with lies.” Thunder rolled behind her. ”Any last words?”

He flexed what little Talent he could muster. An Opal-Jeweled shield snapped around him. But as soon as the shield surrounded him, fatigue, more painful than he’d ever felt in his life almost brought him to his knees. 

In response, Jade shields instantly enclosed Lisey. She jumped back several feet and when she landed she swung her arm downward in a sweeping arch. At the end of the arch, she snapped her fingers causing a sudden concussive force to strike Theo’s shields.

The force of the impact sent Theo flying, immediately shattering his shields in the process. 

Sia manifested her translucent form and flew to her host's side. *Theo! There's no way you can win this fight as you are. You have to back down before she breaks you.*

Sia realized something that Theo had apparently missed. Lisey had the power advantage and knew it. If that was the case why didn't she take him out with one sure stroke? 

Lisey took step after imperious step towards Theo. ”I hate to admit it but you almost had me.” She snapped her fingers again. 

Sia saw the attack coming and flew towards his side. *Theo, watch out!*

The roaring pain in Theo’s head made hearing Sia’s warning almost impossible. He tried with faltering movements to get to his feet but he ended up on his ass instead. The impact sent him reeling backward several more feet.

”I can do this all-day young one,” she crooned softly. ”Or I can make it simple. Tell me why you didn't inform me that the maid was someone's Sleeper? Then tell me what else you're hiding.” To emphasize her point she snapped again. 

He heard her words and looked at his mother through half-lidded eyes. His entire body felt like it was wrapped in lead. He barely felt the third attack when it hit him. This attack was only strong enough to flip him from his back to his belly.

Lisey was at his side in an instant. She knelt and lifted Theo’s head by his chin. ”Your move.”