After Ariel got NT calmed down, she and Donna left her alone to rest. In the hall, Donna got Ariel to explain who these missing friends of NT's were.
After Donna had heard the story--that one of them was NT's closest friend, and that the other had been very much a father to her-- a horrible thought occurred to her. "Ariel...I just thought of something. Before you all got Christine and Tompkins locked away, they'd talk about wanting to get everyone who was in any way connected with you. And while they didn't mention any specific names, not where I could hear anyway, if those two are friends of NT's--oh, what am I thinking, I hope I'm wrong about this, but could they have set something up to go into effect later? Christine and Tracy and...I...weren't the only ones he had working for him, I just don't specifically know who the others all were. He never let me see anyone else he had doing his dirty work for him, aside from Christine and Tracy. I'd tell you any names if I could, if I knew them, please believe me."
Ariel tried to reassure her. "Thanks for trying to help, Donna. But I don't know how on earth I can reassure NT if worse does come to worse. She might not be reaching them if they are just comatose. That could be why you're not finding them, either." She paused, took a deep breath. "I could ask her to look for their bodies but won't, in case that's all she finds. She just keeps saying that if they were hurting that she'd pick it up with the trouble warning magic link, and it went off once when the explosion happened at the school, but it hasn't bothered her since. And I don't know what to think where the other one and his new girlfriend are concerned. I just hope Nathan hasn't managed to get to them through some previous plan, but neither would I put it past him. He is the most bloodthirsty, revenge seeking thing I've ever known."
Donna nodded. "You've got that right." she said bitterly.
Ariel gave Donna's hand a reassuring squeeze. "And I don't doubt you would name more names if you could. Nathan is also very good at hiding things from people he doesn't want seeing certain things. that's how he managed to fool his own daughter for 17 years."
Donna sighed. "I'd agree with you there, too."
After that, Ariel had some errands to run, so she left to go shopping, so as to be back before NT woke up. Meanwhile, Pippi and Ameh were in Pippi's room, going over trial preparations.
A while later, Donna'd gone to the kitchen to get something to drink, and ran into Ameh there. She paused to talk to her. "Ameh, I just don't know who else I can talk to. Ariel's busy, NT's sleeping, and Capri flat scares me. Even if she were here, which she isn't... I just don't know where I fit around here, you know? Everyone's been so nice to me, and God knows I don't deserve it. Not after the things I've had to do for that bastard Tompkins."
"Donna--" Ameh began, but was cut off as Donna continued.
"I know, you'll say he forced me to all of that, and he did. So why am I the one who feels like something the cat dragged in? I did do those things, though I hated doing them--why can't I stop feeling like I ought to be locked up too?"
"Donna, please, don't let yourself feel guilty over all the stuff nate Tompkins and that Christine made you do, it's not your fault, OK?" Ameh replied. "I don't know how to make the feelings go away for you, I don't even know how to handle my own a lot of times, and damn Nathan and Christine for what they forced on us and forced us to do. They did all that crap and still manage to get everybody else to pay for it. and that's gotta stop. Which it will once we've got them on trial for every bit of it."
Donna nodded. "I hope so, too. But I keep remembering what Tompkins would say, about how I'd be able to do more magic when I got older." She rolled her eyes. "Probably meaning, when he'd managed to turn me into the same kind of monster he and Christine were." She sighed. "But I remember that and then I think about what Pippi said, that my father was a powerful mage...doesn't that mean I might be, too, eventually? I guess what I'm asking is, if you and Pippi have found out anything about what Alexander Shelley was like. I mean more than the little you told me after you came back from visiting my mom." Donna sighed again. "I'd ask Mom, but if she hasn't even told me his name for fourteen years because it hurt too much, how can I ask her about him now? She's going to be going through enough hell when I have to talk about what Tompkins and Christine did to me as it is."
"Well, I really can't talk about your dad much," Ameh replied. "It's all sort of stuff that should wait for the trial, but you know I'll see if I can get Capri to have me take you aside for a talk tomorrow morning just before it starts, so you are sort of braced for it. That's really all I can say."
Donna sighed. "I *know* you're working on getting ready for the trial. I want to see that bastard and the Queen Bee hung out to dry as much as you do." She took a deep breath. "But please try to understand--I didn't even know there was anyone besides my mom, had ever *been* anyone besides her, until yesterday. Now after what you and Pippi told me when you got back...I just have to know more than a name. "Alexander Shelley". Who was he? what was he like? Yes, I know I'll end up having to talk to Mom about this but I thought it'd be easier on her if I had a little something to start with. Please tell me you understand... please?"
Ameh nodded. "Actually I do understand. Mind you, I've always known both my parents died, but sometimes I wonder how things would be if they hadn't. For that matter I only found out several years ago that the parents I knew weren't my biological ones. They managed to get custody of me after my birth mother died shortly after I was born. My biological dad was another Nathan Tompkins and he didn't give a shit about kids anyway, especially little girls. if I was a little boy he might have wanted me, since in that family anyway, boys were valued more than girls. My biological mom was Canadian, my biological father was Iranian, and I was born in Tehran. But I don't know which side I got the magic from, or if my parents, the ones I loved, even knew about it. I discovered it by accident in highschool. My adoptive parents were Canadian American Christian missionaries. And I don't know much more about your father either, just that he was on the opposite side of the fence as Nathan, and that made him a threat to Nathan, and you know how Nathan operates.""Do I ever." Donna rolled her eyes. "More than I ever wanted to."
Ameh nodded. "My head is spinning over the trial probably as much as yours is. I get shaky just thinking about being in the same room with Benson. I thought I'd seen the last of her years ago, except for the damn nightmares of course, which are bad enough, but to find out she had gotten out of confinement and that night she tortured me and Nathan almost...well...Nathan just makes me angry to the point of bloodlust and sick. Christine...I can't even describe the shudders I get every time I hear her name let alone see or hear her in person. Yet I can't let that show, especially not to her tomorrow. And for now, that's all I can think of. We have a lot of information in notes and things but it hasn't all sunk in enough for me to relate it all to you and make sense, and I don't think I should anyway. You know how lots of cases shouldn't really be talked about outside of court, well, at least key pieces of information. I just don't know if I'd be blowing it if I told you everything now, or that it'd even make sense. But I think it's somethiing you and your mother need to talk about. Maybe if you two talk then you can both start to heal, because you can give each other something that nobody else can, about his personality and such. You'll hear all about the business stuff at the trial."
Ameh hugged Donna and they went back to their respective rooms.
A few minutes later, back in her room, Donna tried to distract herself by reading through the Telegraph messages. Then, seeing one name there, that of a priest, she got an idea. She wrote to him and asked if she could come see him.
He wrote back that yes, she could, and told her where the church was.
Donna sent back a note saying she'd be there later that day, then paused just long enough to write a note to Ariel.
* * * * *
Donna to Ariel:
Ariel,
Mrs Myles is sleeping, and I don't want to bother her anyway. NT's also gone to bed...and Susan's still at school. Ameh and Pippi aren't back from wherever they went and neither is Capri. And I just felt like I had to go talk to *somebody*.
I did a little searching in the Telegraph archives and found the name of a priest in Mt Bethel, PA, a friend of Sarah's, so I've gone to see him. I'll be back in a little while. Promise.
Donna
* * * * *
Ameh saw Donna's note to Ariel, and wrote one of her own.
* * * * *
Donna,
Er, um...I can't take you to Mt Bethel, Pippi and I still have a lot of stuff to slog through, and you know the trial starts tomorrow. You can't be there and the trial all at the same time.
Ameh Jenna-Lynn
* * * * *
Ariel came home and found Donna's note. She then wrote one on the Telegraph to Donna.
* * * * *
Donna,
Thanks for letting me know where you are, and please hurry back. I really don't need more people running away every time I turn my back. Thanks.
Love
Ariel Dawson
* * * * *
Donna sent notes back to both.
* * * * *
Donna to Ariel and Ameh:
This is just something I've got to do. Talk to somebody who isn't already mixed up in this whole rotten mess. Don't worry I'll be back right after, no way am I going to miss the trial, or seeing Mother again.
I...just have to do this first. Maybe then I can face that trial and not go completely to pieces in front of everyone, Mom especially. Because *she'll* lose it for sure the minute she hears about what happened to me.
Ariel: NT's here with me, she must've popped up here on her own, so you don't need to worry about her.
Donna
