September 12th, 2222. Silas' team plus Garcia have been traveling all night and the sun was soon to rise. They finally arrived at Ouro Petro, in another safehouse where Garcia began to explain more about the current situation. "Around here has been where there's been a suspicious trade in arms and development with the rogue group and some members of the cartel." she says. "I don't know what they've been transporting, but these Hunters have been developing some sort of weapons and selling them off to the cartel. This is how they've been working together to leverage the tip of balances in power in this country in their favor. Other than that, these rogue Hunters have done a decent damage to surrounding territories with outbreaks in sudden attacks. For now, we need to rest but starting later today, we'll need to scope the grounds near the church and see if we can find which members of the Hunters are making contact. And by 'we' I mean me. You guys need to stick around for stage 2 of the plan."
"What's stage 2?" Silas asks.
"I'll let you know when I come up with it." Garcia replies. "For now, I wanna find which of these Hunters are the messenger and find out how many people they contact. From there, it may give me some perspective on how many of the cartel are involved in this gig, round 'em up and execute them quietly. Preferably, stage 2 will be closing in on the targets all at once together and arresting them before they get a chance to turn it into a fight. Hence why I requested backup."
"Not bad so far." Dana adds. "But if it gets too hot, come back as soon as you can. We can't help a dead body."
"Noted." Garcia replies. "I can handle at least that much. For now, I want you all hidden. Don't go outside, trust nobody. Remember, we can't afford to give them an excuse to be suspicious."
"Then we start in the afternoon." Carl adds. "And by 'we' I mean you."
"Are you okay, Laibah?" Asahi asks as the three of them sit out in front of Laibah's house. Siran had rushed to the school after the earthquake to make sure Laibah was okay. After that, took the three kids back home so that Mikoto and Satomi's children would also be sure to be safe. "I saw your tail slip out when the earthquake was happening... and you used magic to save everyone."
"I don't really... know." Laibah replies.
"Nobody even said thanks either!" Asahi complains. "The teacher just kept staring at you..."
"What seems to be on your mind?" Kei asks.
"I just... don't know." Laibah says. "It kinda feels like... I could actually feel the earthquake coming before it happened. Like, I got a little dizzy and felt like something was wrong. Just as we were coming back from lunch..."
"You think you have some sort of gift to predict the future?" Asahi asks.
"Not likely..." Kei says. "But if you say you felt something beforehand, maybe being a laibah has some sort of gift that helps you predict natural disasters?"
"Or maybe it has to do with those spirits you mentioned." Asahi adds. "Maybe they're picking up on disasters and you just feel what they feel?"
"I'll have to ask dad..." Laibah says, looking at the ground.
"Predict natural disasters?" Siran asks after Mikoto and Satomi pick up their sons. "No, something like that certainly wasn't an ability any laibah I know about had... Did you have some sort of experience before that terrible earthquake?"
"I felt like a chill down my back and a little dizzy..." Laibah replies.
"That certainly is new..." Siran say as he thinks. "Maybe... having Kein and Heinnen with you is causing this, even if they don't know it. Or perhaps it's because of that shard of Gaia that caused that little birthmark on your tummy that's causing some unknown side effects. If not those, I really wouldn't know what could give someone actual foresight. Even clairvoyance magic is just a trick. It doesn't show you the future, it just speeds up perception or displace sight itself. The most I've seen done with that magic is seeing your mother find a way to use the magic to see through a single object. Other than that, all clairvoyance really does is speed up how much visual information your brain takes in at once, making your reactions seem faster to the point it might give off the illusion of foresight. But to have actual foresight... now that's a gift that not even magic can bestow."
"So, nobody knows what's wrong with me?" Laibah asks, sad.
"Oh, Laibah... there's nothing wrong with you." Siran replies as he kneels down in front of his daughter to match eye level with her. "Show some confidence. Even if nobody wants to acknowledge it, you saved lives today! You're doing great, and you're a hero. Are you going to tell me heroes are wrong?"
"No, dad..." Laibah says as she looks away, shyly.
"Look me in the eyes, Laibah..." Siran protests softly.
Laibah looks her dad in the eyes, then says "No, dad..."
"So you're not wrong?" Siran asks.
"No, dad..." Laibah replies.
"Then there's nothing wrong with you, right?" Siran asks.
"No, dad." Laibah says with a slight smile.
"That's my girl." Siran says as he stands up and turns around to grab something. "I also got another copy of this, like you requested, Laibah. I would let you borrow my copy, but I thought it would be better if your mother and I bought you your own. Though, I gotta say, I was surprised to hear you ask me for you to read this of all things." As Siran turns back around, he hands a hard covered Bible to Laibah and her eyes light up as she takes it from his hands. "I gotta say, it's not common that kids get excited to get into this these days. I'm kinda proud you took an interest in it."
"It's not weird?" Laibah asks.
"Look, things can be weird and good, Laibah." Siran answers. "I can tell it has something to do with your situation, and I know it's confusing. So, I'm glad to see you finding healthier ways to approach that. I'll be right here if you have any questions."
"Thanks, dad!" Laibah says as she hurries to her room.
Not long after, the door opens as Zia announces she's returned home. "What'd I miss? Where's Laibah? You did get her from school, didn't you?"
"Of course I did." Siran answers. "She took the new Bible excitedly and went to her room to read."
"She's really going to read it?" Zia asks.
"She certainly seems like she's going to." Siran says.
"It's just so unusual to see a kid request a Bible of all things..." Zia says. "You don't think kids are going to pick on her for that, do you?"
"So what if they do?" Siran asks. "She's not doing anything wrong. She just... wants to learn, grow, and find some answers. They can't take that away from her. After all, she's a Mahina. She's stronger than that."
"I guess that's true..." Zia answers. "I just worry because she seems so sensitive after entering school. She had a hard time in pre-school already, and it seems like she hasn't had any luck with elementary either."
"She'll be fine." Siran says. "I promise. I won't let anything happen to our daughter. She's gonna turn out fine. She's just in a period of her life where she's just kinda... exploring a couple paths that she's interested in."
"Well, look at you." Zia says with a smile. "You've gotten better at the fathering thing. When Silas was that young, you used to always be stressed."
"Haha, well..." Siran says, then kisses his wife, "we grow all the time, even now. Right?"
"Right." Zia replies. "Now, speaking of grow, did you cook dinner yet?"
"Ah, shit..." Siran says as he realizes.
"Yeah, I didn't think so..." Zia says as she begins to walk to the kitchen.