Dr. Norman Douglas was working late at his office, again. But it wasn’t school-related work he was working on. Hooked up to his computer was a camera. He had absconded with it after that incident at the Lab. For what was undoubtedly the hundredth time he watched the footage that Margot Verne had recorded. It was very similar to other footage he’d watched from what he found in his daughter’s room.

       He didn’t like to admit it. He didn’t want to admit it. But he was seeing something he’d never witnessed before. He’d be willing to believe that the girl had faked it, it was entirely possible. She was very clever and so were her friends. Patricia always did enjoy being around clever people. But Henry Cho was one of his best students. He was good, honest, hardworking and trustworthy. He remembered the other girl, Taya, who had a good deal more integrity than the rest of Patricia’s little friend group. It didn’t help that she seemed genuinely afraid of whatever attacked her. If he had to give that girl Margot any credit, she wouldn’t have done this either. Verne may be a foolish girl obsessed with fantasies but she wouldn’t hurt someone. He knew that.

       But if this wasn’t a hoax then what was he seeing? An actual shadow attacking three students?

       He leaned back in his chair and shut off the video. Should he turn this into the police? Or just delete it? No. For the time being, he would just put it away. He took the camera and opened up a safe he kept in his office. He’d keep it there for safekeeping until he could learn more. This was deeply disturbing to Douglas. His daughter had been obsessed with the supernatural for years but something had happened to her that changed her. He knew that the root of it was this club. But her friends were surprisingly ignorant of what Patricia was doing. He’d need to do more research before going to the police. Not that those idiots were doing anything to find his daughter. That Detective Lokki was utterly useless. He’d have to find her himself. But the more he dug, the more disturbed he became. Patricia was up to her neck in something terrible.

       “What in God’s name did you get yourself into Patricia?” He asked himself, locking the safe.

       What, indeed.

       Her friends stayed with her for the rest of the day. The danger was gone but the home didn’t feel like home anymore. It didn’t feel safe and Taya hated that. She'd decided to tell her mom everything and they could do a cleansing. Or something.

       Speaking of whom.

       She heard the jangling of keys, giving her pause. At the sight of her mother, Taya paused before running to the door. She wrapped her arms around her mom, feeling like a little girl.

       "Taya!"

       "Mom!"

       Taya's mother returned the embrace, holding her tightly. "Oh, Taya! Mi bebita! Are you alright?"

       Taya returned the hug, feeling safe. She was about to tell her mother everything that had happened to her when she noticed someone standing in the hallway. A girl, no older than thirteen, her dark hair in a ponytail watching her and her mother.

       "Oh, Christina, sweetie, come here. Taya, you remember your cousin Christina?" The little girl edged cautiously toward her.

       Taya and Christina stared at one another.

       "Christina is going to be staying with us for a little while. Your aunt Laura just got a new job here in Heatherton so they'll be staying with us until she gets her new apartment settled." Her mother explained.

       Taya let out a sigh. "Oh...kay."

       Christina made her way to the living room to sit on the couch. Catalina wrapped an arm around Taya and ushered her into the kitchen.

       "Your dad is getting some take out for dinner tonight. Now, he told me what happened but I want you to tell me everything that happened."

       Taya took a deep breath and exhaled. "OK. Well, the good news is I was able to fix the problem...I hope.

       "How?" Her mother asked.

       "Well, everything started around the first week of classes during my evening course, when I saw this shadow..."