5 First hurdle; kidnap

The open court was big. It was built in the middle of a park. Josh, Evan, and Yuri were playing basketball along with young people their age.

Suzy was with girls having a good time watching her brother and friends.

Zen was with them; she took baby Michael with her for a walk. There were many people that day and it was Josh and Suzy's day off.

Jezebel was watching inside a car. When she saw people around were all busy and Zen, too, was busy talking with friends, she went out of the car, walked towards where Michael was. The baby cooed, upon seeing whom he thought was his mom, with open arms. But when he hugged her, his forehead wrinkled. There was something he couldn't figure out with this woman in front of him, yet, the baby didn't cry. Jezebel took him in her arms, skipping their attention. She slid him on the back seat, sat in front of the wheel, then, started the gear. The engine revved up, and off, Jezebel successfully kidnapped the baby.

Who wouldn't have a tantrum? Finally, everybody saw Aaron and Isabella red with anger on their faces. It was almost sunset and the baby had not been found. They had called friends and the police.

"What were you doing? Aaron asked Suzy. Suzy's always the first to receive the blame as she was the eldest among the two. She was quiet. She didn't know what to tell her dad. Josh admitted that he, too, didn't have an excuse. Zen felt guilty, too. They all had a good time that day.

The one who had the best time was Jezebel. Later on, she would put the baby back in his room.

True enough, Aaron found Michael in his bedroom before the day ended, calmly asleep. His instinct told him that he would find the baby again in the bedroom.

Aaron and Isabella looked at each other. They recalled what Jan said.

Not far from them, Jezebel grinned like a wild animal.

xxxxxx

Tatin was surprised to find Isabella in front of him. He was looking at a transparent celluloid figure. They hugged tightly as soon as they saw each other.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" They were in the balcony of his house where there was a balustrade overlooking a big hall. Tatin had replaced his father's leadership among the wolf clans. Peace came after that much celebrated debate about the wolf-dom's policy on inter-marriage.

"You seem bothered." He gave her a kiss on the forehead.

She had second thoughts about bringing things up, what happened lately, but she'd bring it up, maybe later.

"I was worried," she was hesitant.

Tatin looked at her in the eye as he always did. He knew her. He knew when she was bothered.

She finally admitted that she was nagged by this thought that somebody, and from his own constituents, she said she could feel, made attempts to destroy her family. She told him about the old woman, Jan's predictions, the party, the baby missing; he listened carefully to what she said. He was nodding his head, sometimes smiling at the mention of little good things and accomplishments in her future world. In the end, he assured her that he would find out. Then, he waved his hand, and Isabella was back in her present world.

xxxxxx

Lobo and Andrea were hiding behind the bushes. Andrea sneezed; Lobo covered her mouth to prevent her from being heard by people around. They could hear the flipping and shuffling of the cards by the card players. Lobo sneaked a small object under the table without their knowledge. He would get it after the game. In the meantime, they would observe, surveying the place.

Jezebel was there. She looked happy, after she scared the Lee's. Then, time came when they all got drunk. That's over and over after each game.

Lobo and Andrea came out of the bushes. Lobo quietly stepped in and out of the house; he got back the small thing and kept it in his pocket. They left the place, smiling.

At Julius's house, they listened to the recorder, and learned about Jezebel's next plan. They told Tatin, and Tatin told Isabella by means of a dream.