We spent the next thirty minutes developing and perfecting my plan. At first the others thought it was way too far-fetched, but I was able to convince them that it was the best way. The biggest doubt I had was something about the okisaru, but Tanaka assured me that they could turn into anything.

And so it was set. Now everything just had to run without a hitch.

“Inori, I'm sorry you don't have a part in the plan. I didn't really think you would end up coming with us. I thought you would be like Farmer and just disappear.”

She laughed. “I'm not a Giver, Jimmy, although I'm more like them than you might imagine. No, I'm like the Alliance—different like them.”

Something about her words didn't compute.

“What do you mean, different? You have a Gift?”

“No, not really. It's just another one of those things that you'll find out later.”

I shrugged. “Whatever. Anyway, I don't think you should come out there with us—it's too dangerous. Should I have Hood take you back to New York?”

“No, I don't need that. Just go. I'll be fine, I promise you. Actually …”

“What?”

“I would like some sort of protection. Could you leave the Half with me?”

“Half? What, do you have a crush on him or something?”

Half spoke up. “There's no way I don't go out there. I'm fighting.”

“Please!” yelled Inori. Then she calmed her face. “I'm sorry. I just … the thought of being left alone just scares me, that's all. I'm too important, Jimmy, I need someone here to protect me.”

I studied her face, trying to see if she was hiding something. Well, I knew she was hiding something, but I wanted to know if it was worth my time to grill it out of her. I decided it wasn't.

“All right, then. Half, you stay.” He started to protest, but I held my hand up. “Please, Half. She's right—it's as important we keep her safe as it is we get rid of the Ka.”

“Fine.” He went over and sat down on the couch. “But if you do have a crush on me,” he looked at Inori, “let's get one thing straight. I don't go for older women.”

She laughed, and Half tried his best not to smile but did anyway.

“Glad we got that settled. We'll see you guys back in here when we're … done. Inori, I think I'm going to need your help before I go to meet the Stompers. Which reminds me, will you hold onto this until I get back?” I handed her my leather case.

“Yes, I think you will need my help, and yes, I will hold that for you.” She reached out and grabbed the pack then shook my hand. “Good luck.”

“You sound like I'm going to play in a basketball game or something.”

“Okay, fine. May the graces of God be with you on the battlefield. Better?”

“Now you sound like a bad movie. See ya soon.” I turned to the others. “Let's go.”

We filed out of the house, the smallest army in history. Rayna, Miyoko, the Hooded One, Tanaka and his okisaru, Joseph, and myself. The sun was just beginning its trip down to the far horizon—it would be dark within a couple of hours. The thought sent a chill down my spine—by the time the sun set, all of this would probably be over.

And then the real terror would start.

The cool air was refreshing, and the smell of grass and bark and other nature-type things filled my nostrils. In another time, the feel of being outside on a day like that would've been such a thrill, and I would've searched the house top to bottom to find a football to toss around.

But these were darker times, and my only hope was that someday soon everything could be back to normal.

Far out in the field, there was a gathering of black shapes, huddled together in a mass of bodies, protecting something in the middle. They had my family. How easy it would be for me to just walk out there and grab them, I thought. But not this time. Today we were going to accomplish a much greater task than just saving my brother and parents.

From my right a swarm of butterflies appeared out of nowhere, having flown in from wherever they'd been waiting for their next assignment. I didn't know much about how they thought, but I knew they were in for a big surprise today. Tanaka walked over to them and they hovered around him. He began to whisper, telling them our plan.

The others stood next to me, peering out into the fields.

A lone shape lifted out of the pack of Ka and flew toward us. Its black wings beat the air as it approached, making that familiar sound of laundry flapping in the wind as it hung out to dry.

When the Ka neared twenty feet from where we stood, it dropped to the ground. Folding its wings back into their resting position, the Ka walked up to within a few feet of us. The sloshing, sucking sound started, and the Shadow Ka began its morphing. Over the next few seconds we witnessed the reverse evolution as the black receded and the human shape took form.

It finished, and I noticed that its eyes remained pitch black, solid orbs of darkness with no whites to be seen. His human form looked old and frail, with shoulders slightly hunched over. The skin on his face was wrinkled and yellow. I knew that face, and I wasn't the least bit surprised when I saw it.

Most knew him as a man named Custer Bleak.

But I had always called him Raspy.