7 Years Ago

Alan Detimis' house, Everleason, Cascoss, June 2nd 1999*

*Earth equivalent date.

Alan Detimis' son Michael Detimis was on the roof of his house. He had dreams of one day becoming a pilot. There was a young lady next to him. He was aware that sitting beside this lady was potentially dangerous, but he didn't care. He loved her, she loved him.

But who was this lady? Why was she potentially dangerous? This was Alissa Everstone, she was the daughter of one of Edgar Everstone's children. Edgar was a notorious man, a nefarious ne'er do well. A godfather. Leader of a mafia. He was not one to be messed with. That was why Alissa was dangerous.

Michael got up and stretched.

"It certainly is a most wondrous night." Michael noted, looking directly at Lucite, the local satellite of Rhombodian.

"Lucite is beautiful tonight. It's almost a bright full moon." Alissa added. "Did you write any new poetry for me?"

"I did. You know, I showed some new poems to Mr. Artwick, the playwright, they made him cry."

"They must be very beautiful." she stated.

"Why don't you get up so I can tell you all about them." He stated and lent out his hand. Alissa grabbed it, and just as she did, Edgar's eyes suddenly lost their color and he coughed up blood. He tumbled backward, letting go of Alissa as he did. Alissa had a look of shock. She tried to reach for him, but it was too late. He tumbled off the roof and onto the ground below. Alissa wailed. "No!!!" She shouted.

Alan came out and found his son dead on the floor, he looked up and saw Alissa crying. He examined his son. Tears started filling his eyes and he turned his son over, Michael had landed on his back so he was facing toward the sky. He saw the bullet in his son's back. Alan was an instructor at a gun range, so he knew a bit about guns, he dug out the slug without thinking and noticed that the bullet came from a sniper. He looked up at Alissa angrily.

"You should leave!" Alan exclaimed with anger.

"But I didn't do anything!" Alissa wailed.

"Yes, you did. You fell in love with my boy, and now some hired assassin has killed him. He was shot with a sniper bullet!" He growled.

"But, but." She sobbed harder, she was choking up and she couldn't muster the strength to speak any more words.

"Enough! You go find a way to get lost! Now!"

Alissa ran away and carefully made her way off the roof and ran all the way to her Auntie's house. Her Aunt was one of the most trustworthy people she knew. Her Aunt was Edgar's daughter Elizabeth Everstone, a member of the league of alphabetical wizards. Alissa told Elizabeth everything. Elizabeth listened, but she didn't know what to do. Anybody could have hired the person who shot Michael.

A few weeks later Elizabeth fell into a diabetic coma. Her husband Daniel Smith was devastated. He was so distraught that he never questioned anything. He returned to his work as a quantum physicist. Every time he looked at his wedding ring the pain returned to him.

He could never have known all the way back then that his wife had been poisoned. But who and why?