4.7 Contact

"Is it done?" the disembodied voice demanded.

Nodding Silver gave the mirror a smug self-satisfied smile "the boy is contained within a bubble universe..."

"That's not what we agreed upon" the voice was a low angry grumble.

Taking a step nearer the mirror that contained the hidden communication device Silver laughed "what are you going to do about it? He'll stay there until you give me what I want."

"You're in no position to be making demands" the low menacing voice replied "your dimension is in as much trouble as mine is."

"Do you think I care?" Silver guffawed loudly "this boy will make no difference to either dimension...."

"That's where you're wrong" the voice said cutting through the irritating laughter "the boy is the time keepers ancestor or at least he will be if we let him. We get rid of him we get rid of the time keeper."

"You get rid of one time keeper" Silver corrected "there are multiple versions of him in every dimension. What good would eliminating this one do you?"

"Give us the boy or suffer the consequences" the voice demanded.

"You'll get him when I get what I want" Silver leaned forward terminating the connection.

***

Adam stood back while his wife welcomed their son and grandchildren into their home. It hurt to see her progressively growing older, the gray in her brilliant red gold hair, the fine lines around her emerald green eyes, the wrinkles in her once smooth skin. He wished he could hold back time or be able to grow old with her. If he could he would relinquish his position as ruler over Moonlight Falls and Midnight Hollow but Keenan wasn't of age yet. Even then he wouldn't be able to reverse his vamperism. He needed to be available to assist his son in the future, if Keenan even wanted to take over. 

Looking at his youngest child, the son he carried within him all the while loathing the person who had impregnated him. Keenan looked so much like that loathsome creature that it hurt sometimes to look at him. Intellectually Adam knew that was where the similarities ended. That the sometimes rebellious attitude and appearance was only surface deep that beneath it all was a kind caring young man. As long as he could Adam hoped to keep Silver from discovering Keenan existed.

"Dad" Heath's voice broke through his dad's dark thoughts "I know this is a big inconvenience..."

Shaking his head Adam said "son you're never an inconvenience. I'm glad to help. I wish I could do more." His eyes strayed towards Beverly who was happily hugging her grandchildren "we'll talk more later."

Heath nodded accepting that now wasn't the time to bring up more serious concerns. Not in front of the children. They would have to be told sooner or later but not now. It was something he learned from his dad. The truth was better than any lie or half truth designed to make them feel better. Heath knew if there was a way to find Don and Malachi his dad would find it.

***

Once Adam had a chance to hug his grandchildren he had Heath accompany him to his office in the old castle. "I hate this place," Adam mumbled as he sat behind his desk "it's the traditional home of the ruler of Moonlight Falls. It's expected I run things from here."

Heath shivered in the cool damp air. He always felt uneasy in the castle. He understood why his dad refused to live within these cold walls. "I suppose the dungeons are below," he had no idea what prompted him to say that. He wished immediately that he hadn't as he watched his dad's normally stoic face slip. It was probably within these very walls where his dad was turned. Where he had struggled against the urge to give into his need to feed. Heath knew he shouldn't have brought it up. Those memories were painful. It was here where Heath had all but died after Beverly fed upon him. He definitely shouldn't have brought it up as he shivered under the weight of those memories.

Adam ran a hand over his face breathing deeply. He hated this place. Hated the memories he couldn't escape while he was. Shaking his head he asked "Is Kimberly back in school?" It was a feeble attempt to change the subject.

Nodding Heath sighed "it took every ounce of persuasion I had to get her to go back." Heath leaned forward "she's anxious to find Malachi" He pointed to his forehead "it's a struggle to keep her out of my head."

"I can help you with that," Adam said rummaging in his desk for something "wear this" he said handing his son a necklace similar to the one Adam and Keenan both wore. "Alanon designed it to block others from reading our thoughts." Adam gave him a rueful grin "I've been wearing it ever since Kimberly blasted me after you disappeared. You can still let her in if you wish but it forces her to announce herself first."

Heath took it and slipped the necklace over his head sighing in relief "that's much better thank you."

"Thank Alanon" Adam frowned before asking "have you been contacted by Silver?"

The lengthy pause was answer enough but Heath eventually nodded "he wants me in exchange for Don."

"We'll find another way," Adam told him in a tone he knew well. The one that meant that he was to sit tight and not doing anything stupid. Rubbing his chin Adam asked "did Silver make any other demands?"

Before Heath could respond Ambrogio burst into the room looking disheveled and hurried. He stopped long enough whisper something to Adam before rushing from the room. Adam stood up dismay written on his face as he walked from the room forgetting about what he and Heath were discussing. Heath followed him "dad?" he called confused.

Adam turned vague distracted eyes to him, his mind elsewhere as he spoke "I'm sorry I have to go. Something has came up..."

Heath watched him turn, joined by several heavily armed guards as he strode purposefully down the corridor. Others scurried in every direction to get out of their way upon their approach. Heath wondered what new emergency just arose that would cause his dad to abandon their conversation something he had always been careful to never let happen.

Adam walked into the ancient control room his displeasure palpable in the small room. "Do we know who is contacting us?" he demanded as he stood behind Alanon.

"No" came the curt reply as Alanon scanned the controls.

Growling Adam paced the room with growing impatience "what do you know?" Alanon winced at the displeasure in Adam's voice "Well?" Adam demanded his voice echoing against the stone walls.

Turning to face him Alanon squared his shoulders "all we know for sure is the contact is coming from a dimension that has been isolated..."

"I thought we had contact with all dimensions," Adam snapped.

"So did I" Alanon shot back "according to all the ancient manuscripts your supposed to be ruler over all Moonlight Falls in every dimension."

Nodding Adam paced silently fuming. He always thought that was a half truth something included to appease the ego of the then ruling vampire. Dismissing it for now he asked "Is this a trick by Silver to get us out in the open?" Then as if struck with horror he asked "where's my son?"

"Safe" Alanon replied answering the last question first "Ambrogio went to collect the boy from school. He'll take the boy home."

Adam breathed easier "has Heath been escorted home?"

"I sent someone" Alanon assured him "I also took the liberty of setting up guards to keep watch over the entire family."

"Good" Adam stood still content for the moment that all precautions that could be made have been done "tell the guard that no one is to leave the grounds or enter without my prior approval."

Alanon gave him a concerned look before relaying the command to a subordinate to carry out. "May I ask why I just put your family under house arrest?"

"My son Heath has it in his head that he can deal with Silver by exchanging himself to gain the release of his husband. I want to ensure that doesn't happen. Silver will not have either of my sons."

"So it's been confirmed then?" Alanon asked.

"It has" Adam waved a hand towards the dimension control center "what's going on with our unexpected contact? Do we know who is contacting us?"

"It's puzzling sir" Alanon always reverted back to formalities when subordinates were within hearing "this dimension has been silent for decades...."

"Isn't that what Alessandro wanted?" Adam asked "to cut Moonlight Falls off from the rest of the world and other dimensions?"

"Yes but I think in doing so it weakened the time continuum" Alanon said "I suspect that in each dimension they're experiencing some sort of time distortions."

"Could the bubble universes be a result of these distortions?" Adam asked his scientific mind already at work on the problem. Turning to someone else he asked "has my father arrived in Moonlight Falls yet?"

"He arrived this morning" was the immediate response.

"Send someone for him. I want him to look at this" Adam commanded.

"Do you think that is wise sir?" Alanon asked bowing his head as protocol demanded to show he meant no disrespect.

"My father spent years with the time keeper in Oasis Landing. He's the closest we have to an expert in time travel. Who better to help us figure out these time distortions?"  Adam turned to address everyone in the room "I want to know everything we can about this isolated dimension. I have a feeling we're going to need it."

"If they call again," Alanon asked "shall we respond back?"

Thinking for a moment Adam shook his head "no. For now let's monitor how they react to our silence."

***

Adam looked up as his office door opened and his father walked in. He suppressed a grin at the surly expression upon Peter's face. Walking towards Adam he leaned on the desk "what was so important it couldn't wait until I had a chance to settle in?" Peter demanded "Jean isn't as young as you and I appear to be. She needs help...."

Adam let his dad blow off steam for a moment before cutting him off. "I'm sorry dad I really am. I have a crisis building. If it helps I've dispatched several werewolves to help mom move in."

Peter eyed his son a moment before heaving a heavy sigh "I have a feeling I'm not going to like this."

"You know if it weren't important I'd wait for you to move in first," Adam stood up moving around his desk to give his dad a hug "you should know I've also stationed a security detail around your house. You might want to warn mom not to leave the grounds without getting prior approval first."

"This sounds worse than I imagined," Peter asked "is Silver causing problems again?"

Nodding Adam said "you know he already has Don and Malachi trapped in another one of those infernal bubble universes."

"Yeah ... but what else has happened?"

"We received a communique from a dimension that has been silent for decades according to Alanon."

"Friend or foe?" Peter asked.

"We don't know," Adam leaned against his desk "all we know for sure is this voice requested to speak with me or rather the ruler of Moonlight Falls. Then the contact was terminated."

"Have they tried calling back?"

"They either can't or delaying" Adam said

"So what do you need me to do?"

"I need your help in understanding the controls, dimensions and if the time distortions are a result of the Alessandro isolating our dimension from the others. I need to know as much as I can about the other dimension before they try to contact us again." Sighing he looked at his dad "in short I need to know what I'm dealing with and all we have to work with are controls no one has used in hundreds of years and obsolete scrolls that may or may not be accurate."

Grunting Peter rubbed his chin whiskers "you're not asking for much." Looking up "is that why my wife is under house arrest?" he didn't bother to disguise his displeasure.

"Yes I'm not taking any chances. I have guards on all soft targets," Adam walked towards the door sure his dad would follow "I even have guards stationed discreetly on extended family outside of Moonlight Falls. I can't take the chance that this isn't a trick and Silver is waiting to make a move of some kind."

"I thought it wasn't safe for supernaturals to be out in the open yet?" Peter asked following Adam.

"It's not. These are mostly IF's I trust, werewolves and witches that can pass as human," Adam explained.

***

Beverly looked up in concern as Keenan walked through the front door. She knew immediately something was wrong "your father must be concerned about something "she said keeping her voice calm and made her comment understated so as not to alarm the younger children.

"Things must be....unusual" Keenan told her taking his queue from her to keep from scaring the children. He knew it was bad though. The only time he had been taken from school under guard was when Silver had kidnapped Heath. That man was a menace. He hated the fact half his DNA was from him. It was a useless fantasy but he still wished he was Beverly's biological son. She was his mother in every way that counted. 

Sighing he went upstairs looking for his brother. He knocked before entering the room set aside for him and found Heath inspecting a necklace similar to the one he wore. "I see dad gave you one to match mine."

Heath lifted the necklace saying "dad said it would protect me from anyone trying to invade my mind."

"It does have that added benefit," Keenan said flopping on the bed.

"What else does it do?" Heath asked watching the boy closely.

"Didn't dad tell you?" he asked sitting up frowning.

Shaking his head Heath lifted the necklace from around his neck. Almost at once he was bombarded with frantic cries from Kimberly. Smiling he said "I'm here. Calm down. I'm fine. Sweetie I promise I'm fine. Now go back to class."

"Daddy that's what I was trying to tell you. I can't go back to class."

"What do you mean you can't?" he asked his anxiety sky rocketing. He looked towards his baby brother who had also removed his necklace "have you been listening?"

"Yes" Keenan admitted "dad is on high alert. Something bad is happening. That's why I'm here instead of in school. He probably sent guards to bring Kimberly to Moonlight Falls."

"So these goons are legit?" Kimberly asked.

Thinking for a moment Keenan said "ask them for the code word."

"What code word?" she asked in exasperation "I don't even know it. How am I supposed to know if it's right or not?"

"Just ask them I'll know it" Keenan told her. While Kimberly conversed with the guards Keenan's brow creased in worry "that's not the code word. Dad would never use his name. Get out of there now."