Prologue
I closed the door behind me; the click it made was almost inaudible, but I knew he heard it.
"Good, you're here. You're late, you know."
"That's as much your fault as mine. Getting here was more difficult then I had imagined. Sad, really, considering my stay will be so brief."
"The trip wasn't enjoyable? Bad weather."
"Hardly. Can we cut to the chase? I'm in a bit of a rush, as you can probably imagine." If anyone except me had made such a comment, he would have been completely shocked, however, he only gave me a small smile.
"You want me to take it back. To undo my actions of so long ago," he said, the smile disappearing.
"I believe it only just. You're willing to do it for anyone except them." He frowned slightly at this.
"There's a difference; they've made a choice; one which was, might I add, prompted by your actions." I grimaced. I knew he'd bring that up.
"I'll admit, I could have presented my views better." Looking him straight in the eye, I continued. "Give them one chance. An opportunity to prove that they can be every bit as good as yours."
He sighed, resting his face in his hands. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I-"
"Please," I added softly. He was clearly hesitant. After a moment, he stood up from his chair, and turn away from me, looking out the massive window. There was a moment of tense silence.
"I'll give you one chance," he said finally. I barely stopped myself from yelling out in joy.
"You won't regret this," I said, starting for the door. As soon as my hand had touched the knob, however, he spoke again.
"Don't leave yet; I'm not finished." I turned back around slowly. He continued, "The rules haven't changed. Be sure you follow them, as we want to avoid... mistakes."
"I understand."
"Also... the one you chose will be marked. With such a chance riding on the journey, it is only fair, you understand," he said, still facing the window.
"I understand," I said with a nod.
"Do you have one in mind?"
"Actually, yes. I believe you're actually quite well acquainted, as a matter of fact." He said nothing in reply, though he turned to look at me. I raised an eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"
"No," he said finally. "Is there anything else? I am quite busy, as you can probably imagine."
I shook my head, and left the room, already forming the plan in my head. Things couldn't have gone more smoothly.
Ashbrook Daily Morning News
August 25, 1997
Winged Girl Found in Alleyway
At approximately eight o'clock yesterday evening, Police Chief Anthony Stuart found a baby girl with an unusual deformation alone in an alleyway. The child had no signs of identification, and did not appear to have any relatives nearby. She was taken immediately to the municipal hospital to be examined. Regarding the deformation, which appears to be a pair of black, feathered wings, Dr. Summers, the head surgeon at the Ashbrook Hospital and Clinic, stated, "...[The deformation] appears to be severly fused with the girl's spinal column, to such an extent that any attempt at removal would surely cause more harm than good. It does not, however, appear to be potentially dangerous. For the time being, there is nothing we can do for the girl except leave her in her current state. Apart from this rather unique deformation, she appears to be perfectly healthy." Regarding the child's future, Stephen Black, a lawyer well-known after his work with last year's case regarding the new land development in the city, has issued an adoption request. The paperwork is currently being processed. More on this story will be avaliable as it develops.