AT THE BANQUET ROOM… MR & MRS CONNERY were announced as the winners, of the Mayor’s Challenge Cup… and the charming couple, came to the banquet-podium to receive the trophy, from Mayor John Blake.

The entire banquet with 25 tables, of both club members and visitors, cheered. Paul was seated with Ms King, Dr Wilson and her son, Samuel and their babysitter, Lola. While, at the other table, were blind-Jane, her BFF Alicia, seated with the ex-internationals couple…

… Peter was absent, and ‘REPLACING’ HIM was Douglas Zimmerman – whose parents were members of the country club.

… Paul’s inspector-mother in her-uniform… was with Principle Tom Harris seated in the main-table – with the mayor and his wife, and other government and the club’s dignitaries.

They announced that Jane Wilson to ‘come’ forward… and receive a consolation mini-prize trophy – that of a metal-figurine of a girl with locked-hair and a one-armed boy, both holding their racquets, on ‘top’ of the award. The meek-girl received the prize… along with THE ‘FREE’ COUNTRY-CLUB’S life-long tennis-membership.

Earlier, the mayor had given a speech that the ERA OF INTERACTIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE was here, and everyone should embrace it – just like ITS PIONEERS, the blind-Jane who used it for sport…

… and excelled with it, in her studies too.

Then the food arrived – it was Wellington’s roast beef, which was ‘one’ of Paul’s favourite dishes, which he had ‘not’ any, for ages. So was, the dessert of Sheppard Pie, where he wiped the platter clean… while passively listening to the conversation of Dr Wilson and Ms King.

The doctor-mother talking to Ms King was saying that she ‘was’ proud of Jane’s recent succession of accomplishments since moving to Stamford High from the blind-school. The mother finally ‘UNDERSTOOD’ THAT THE AI had aided her blind-girl to progress. She praised Boyyo…

… but ‘not’ the ‘young-woman’ voiced SIMY – whom the mother still felt, was ‘interfering and annoying.’

… Dr Wilson’s only regret was… Jane’s father, Anthony wasn’t here at the event, because he was a loyal, workaholic who worked hard for 12 hours, in his recent ‘newly-own-business’… where he had set-up a company, named Jansa – in the furniture business.

At the other table…

… Mr and Mrs Connery were getting to know-Jane more, as they heard stories of how she ‘trained’ her AIs, NOT-ONE BUT 2 – and, the blind-girl spoke affectionately of her ‘former’ SIMY… that was-now broken.

The ex-internationals encouraged Jane to ‘use’ her free membership privileges, and train in the club, with their coaching. At the table, Dougie made a self-testimony, that he was trained by Coach Connery, and now fared as #2, in the Boy’s category in Stamford High.

At the table across… were the peering eyes of an ‘unsecured’ cripple…

… seeing in envy of the good time-the girls were having dining on a Sunday evening, with Dougie – laughing to everything that the handsome, Germanic-blond… who, was a product of a European upbringing, in the courtesy of the country-club – was jabbering…

… and, his Chinese-girlfriend – was laughing out the loudest, on the table, across to him.

Lately, Alicia had her talking fondly of Dougie whom she befriended him more… after Jane’s playing Dougie and Zoe, VIRAL-VIDEO BOOMED. The Chinese girl described him was a super-cool senior… and further said, he was a perfect ‘old-fashioned-boy-gent.’

‘…what does that even mean, ‘old-fashioned-boy-gent’?

… but, if you fast-forward the ‘crono,’ it was-I…

... who saved ‘his’ life that day, when Peter kicked him down the stairs… and till now… he had ‘not’ thanked-me, personally for it – and for hurt-in my-hip, which is ‘still’ in pains of sore by cushioning the fall.

... all that ‘Neanderthal’ did-was 'he-grunted'… on that phone-bombing-day, in that ‘moment’ of bravery was…

' ... huh... and-how come, you are here…?’

‘Bring it on country-club-Douglas-Zimmerman – may the best ‘boy-gent’ win!’

The crippled Paul, went about continuing his gastronomic adventure affair, by tasting the club’s savoury pastries desserts. He too-had, to gain intel of what both the adults ‘were’ talking… and the with stubborn, Black-baby brother of Jane interruption, by calling him ‘Peeta’ – despite Lola and his mother corrected the toddler, that it was ‘Paul’ repetitiously.

… half-way through the evening…

… the Mayor made a SURPRISING ANNOUNCEMENT that was unforeseen, to everyone. Mayor John Blake declared…

“A very good news-today, to the citizen of Perth – where the Wildlife authorities have confirmed and manage to find Perth’s missing Hero-dog, Piper. The dog is now in quarantine for the night, in Perth Veterinary Hospital.”

The ballroom cheered and clapped aloud. Amy Bixby at the table hugged the stunned-blind-girl.

The mayor continued…

“That dog deserves a medal too! Tomorrow evening, there will be a small ceremony at the government vet-Hospital… before handing the beloved dog to its rightful owner Jane Wilson… as her pet, and guide dog!”

…Amy Bixby was still delighted and exclaimed…

“Jane, that is wonderful news, now that your dog is ‘COMING’ BACK TO YOU, after being missing for a month. You must have missed him a lot?”

The blind-girl grinned… a nervous smile to everyone, who came up to her, and congratulate her.

‘But-poor Piper-boy is ‘CURSED’ – and would be dangerous in the presence of society … and of my ‘own’ family too – and, THAT WAS WHY, he ran ‘away’ on his ‘own.’

At the other table, doctor-mother was overjoyed, with the returning of Piper, where the house WAS SO ‘QUIET’ – without its occasional barks, and also her husband-away, overworking.

… Paul heard the babysitter explaining to the toddler…

“Samuel… Piper comes home, tomorrow.”

“Piper – good dog!”

… and the pleased, baby-boy responded.

<><>

FORTY MINUTES LATER, THE BANQUET ended at 9:30 PM… because it was a school-day tomorrow.

… Paul expected-Alice to come over and greet him… but both the girls were still all-over Dougie.

… Paul asked Ms King if he can catch a ‘ride’ with her, to his home. The student counsellor said yes – soon they both were the first to say goodbye… and excused themselves outside, to the Volvo.

Feeling self-disappointed, Paul texted his Mom, THAT HE HAD ‘LEFT’ – but got no reply either… as she was also, ‘lost-and-busy’ at the mayor’s main table.

On his journey back home, Paul told Ms King of the 3 continuous nights of his dreams...

... that was the ENDGAME, PREMONITION of the Curse of Asmodeus...

... and also, the exploits with Mercury that he had, in the Underworld.

<><>

IT WAS 10:02 PM WHEN PAUL REACHED HOME and alone-again… after being the ‘last-out-first-in’ the house, on a pre-school night.

He decided to turn himself in, for the night...

He glanced and peeked into the semi-lit, living room – and his father’s favourite armchair was empty.

In his wheelchair… he chuckled and noting, he was in the real-world, ‘not’ the dream-one, where he had a now-recalling – of a great, ‘hilarious-time’, with Mercury in their ‘mission,’ to save Peter’s ‘soul.’

But he also learned from the ‘horse’s mouth’ itself… that Mercury was a Roman-god, who was the keeper of boundaries, and a ‘bridge’ to the UPPER AND LOWER WORLDS – meaning…

… he could be on Earth, and on the Underworld. That was how the Red-demon’s ‘head’, had evaded getting killed, by Asmodeus’ ‘dragnet-bounty.’

In the common bathroom downstairs, Paul washed his face, and brushed his teeth, and peed – and he levitated back, to his room.

He put on his floral-aroma adult diapers, fresh from a new-pack – as he went into his nightly ‘routine’ of – switching on his alarm clock, moderated the A/C settings, and dimming off the lights – and in the dark…

,,, as Paul laid his head on his comfy pillow… and shut his eyes, after counting his blessings…

His iPhone rang, at 10:15 PM – and it was his ‘girlfriend,’ Alicia, who was video-calling.

“Why you just now… LEFT WITHOUT TELLING me…?”

“Yeah, I left because… I didn’t want to bother you, with the company of your ‘perfect-gentleman – who was hosting your graceful presence, in his country-club.”

… Paul heard the Chinese girl laughing… in the dark from the other end.

“My-birdy-man Pauly… aww… ‘are’ you jealous of Dougie?”

“NO, ALICIA, I’m ‘not’ jealous – I would rather sacrifice you to Douglas… just to get Asmodeus’ wrath-off, from killing more innocent people in Perth… and that would ‘lessen’ the blood in my hands, in-return – SINCE THIS ‘CURSE’ that I’m in – which had already consumed hundreds of lives, and numerous injuries…”

… Alicia ‘got’ anxious, by Paul’s serious tone of voice – that was accumulating its severity. She pleaded in tears...

“What’s wrong, Pauly…? … sorry, if I had ‘offended’ you, in any way… Tell me, why are you angry with me?”

Paul sighed deep, seeing her sob in his screen.

“So ‘now,’ you want to KNOW WHY? It is because, after they ‘lost’ the game, just now – you have provoked Peter, saying-that Jane made a better tennis pair with Douglas – while earlier this week, Peter had BRAVELY ATTEMPTED to take Douglas’ life in school… that makes Peter ‘now,’ had daringly come out into the open, to kill with no ‘evidence’ of his 'perfect' crime...

"... and with all-the ‘broken’ school-cameras… he ‘had’ cursed-out that-too!

“And, back IN MY DREAMS, I gather that… Asmodeus has ‘possessed’ Peter, when ‘the fool’ had offered the Evil-one… some KIND-OF-BLOOD-OFFERING, to form a pact… if I’m ‘not’ wrong…

“… but the bottom line-is – Peter is now very dangerous and is a potential threat to anyone – especially, to ‘those’ who-opposes or provokes him. He is A LIVING TIMEBOMB of negative emotions… that is waiting to explode any time, in any given situation.

“He has several target-triggers who he ‘hates,’ like Douglas, Principle Harris – and probably YOU AND ME, INCLUDED. It’s all because Asmodeus is ‘controlling’ him…

“And, what you said just now, was below-the-belt too, like DOUGLAS IS THE ‘BETTER’ PLAYER than him… who deserves to ‘take over,’ as his-Jane’s tennis partner.

Another ‘bad’ remark that we-did laughed about lately when his own ‘girlfriend’ who told him off… which, was that ‘ONE-ARMED PEOPLE CAN’T PLAY TENNIS’…

“…that really might have taken a ‘dent’ on his ego too, of what Jane said back there, in the Sunday-group meeting – which MS KING ‘TOLD’ ME AS A REMINDER when she sent me home just now. Ms King also cautioned me… to tell you all…

… that Douglas is a new ‘prime-trigger’ – and people who be ‘around’ him, and supports him, WOULD ALSO BE TARGETS TOO, to be killed by the Cursed-one.

The Chinese girl spoke out, in a more anxious tone… ‘interrupting’ his monologue. Now, she was ranting… cursing-at-herself first in Hokkien… then in English …

“Oh-my-god, Pauly…! I think I’ve PUT-JANEY IN DANGER… I thought since she ‘broke-up’ with Peter… her heart WOULD BE-LONELY ‘seeing’ both of us, going together – and, I thought Dougie would make a good ‘substitute’…

“That was why… just now at the club, I’ve to ‘anime’ and exaggerate myself a lot… to get the conversation ‘going’ between, a quiet-blind-girl and a shy-boy, who doesn’t say much, because – he is a ‘modest’ person, just like you are, Pauly…”

… Alicia’s phone beeped… indicating her phone’s battery was juicing-out.

“My battery has run out, dear. Remember to tell-me in school in the morning… about all the ‘details’ of your dreams, which you were dying to tell, all evening just now, okay…? ‘Nite-nite, kiss-kiss’ to you, Pauly…”

The blue-light went off his iPhone… and darkness swallowed again in his windowless room. He smiled in the murk… THINKING OF HIS GIRLFRIEND…

… who was the only ‘PRECIOUS-BLESSING’ he had since he got ‘cursed.’

He then dozed with good memories of her – Alicia was his ‘precious-asset’ that he would protect, to his death… if ever his twin were to harm her…

… and, his iPhone rang again…

-O-

The red-digits in the alarm clock, was on 10:33 PM when Paul reached and picked up his iPhone… to respond to Jane Wilson’s late call… on a pre-school Sunday night.

The blind-girl was hysterical…

“Pauly-Paul – they found Piper-boy…they are returning him over tomorrow evening… but he can’t come back – because Piper is ‘cursed!’”

‘…where is your-Dougie, ‘when’ you need him…?’ Paul thought,,,

... as blind Jane continued to rant…

“Piper is dangerous to society… and I would certainly ‘not’ want him around, exposing the danger to my family…”

‘I repeat… where is your-Dougie, ‘when’ you need him…?’

“Paul… I DON’T KNOW WHAT to do. I thought of calling-Ali, but I didn’t – as her ‘Mom’ would ‘not’ want Ali to follow me, to downtown Perth, at this hour of the night…”

‘You girls had played a dangerous, ‘lonely-hearts-game’ in a ‘swan-song-situation’ – with your-Dougie, just now, yea…?’

… Paul quietly continued to hear her woes.

“I’m blind – please help me…to ‘rescue’ MY CAPTURED-DOG – and ‘release’ him-once more, into the open-again!”

The crippled Paul then responded…

“Give me half an hour… I WILL COME ‘OVER’ to you, Jane. Wear something warm… it will get quite-chilly up there.”

<><>

BEFORE 11 PM… PAUL WAS AT THE WILSON’S residence, levitating outside of the blind-girl’s bedroom window, upstairs. He rapped the glass-window, of the darkroom…

From her ‘new’ Queen-sized bed… Jane saw her blue-beacon ‘glowing-bright’ outside, and she left the bed, to greet Paul. She was wearing a Merino-woollen jacket and her regular beanie…

… along with her Boyyo-headset, and armed with her folded metal baton-walking cane.

She hugged Paul, who was floating outside her window.

“Thanks for coming, Paul – I don’t know who to turn to just now.”

“No worries – LET’S MAKE IT QUICK, Jane… tomorrow is a school day.”

… blind-Jane climbed out of the windowsill and was outside, wearing a warm dark-jacket. Paul held her hips… and they flew up in the night-skies.

… Jane further praised him.

“You are getting ‘good’ in flying.”

“Yeah, it ‘has’ its benefits, for being a cripple – I had practice ‘it’ when I’m alone.”

“That is-good – but I gave-up on my ‘powers,’ since we last fought BlackStar above the zoo. I only use my 3rd-Eye occasionally… unless you or your brother are around as my ‘beacon.’”

“Why is that…?” The flying Paul asked.

“I just don’t like all these ‘powers’ – I just ‘want’ to be a regular-blind-girl in a normal world.”

“But I ‘need’ you to use-your powers, Jane – we are in the endgame now… and I can’t do it ‘alone,’ not even by a long shot when we finally face the Evil-one himself.”

“Okay, I’ll try.” The Blind-one responded.

“What you mean, ‘I’ll try?’ You have NO-OTHER GIVEN ‘option’ – it’s either you embrace ‘it’ or you simply die.”

“Okay-I get-it… if can you ‘give’ me a refresher, crash-course on how-to-fly, Pauly…?”

… Paul let her hips, that he held ‘go…’

“… Jane… focus…”

After a shaky start-up… she found her ‘balance,’ and Jane flew, on her own – Paul noticed she was giggling in delight, as she ‘HAD’ ONCE BEFORE, while in the rescue-mission of her brother, Samuel.

“What Mother of Virgos, were you talked about – at the club’s courtyard? WHO IS SHE?” Jane then enquired.

… Paul was excited when she asked…

“I had a DREAM-IN-A-DREAM into the astral travelling realm, with Mercury – remember the Red-demon from our Aurora Australis? Mercury is NOW MY ‘FRIEND…’”

… Jane was confused, and she cut in…

“Isn’t that the red-glowing demon, where you ‘grew’ your wings… and punched him, across town…?”

… Paul was flabbergasted, when she said, HE HAD ‘WINGS’… just like Alicia told him, that weekend-ago. But he then continued his storytelling, after a long pause…

“… ya, the ‘same’ demon – but-HE IS A ‘GOOD-GUY,’ and we can trust him now, because he wants to help Peter, who is the Chosen-one by Old-Asmodeus – who also wants to walk in Perth, INSIDE PETER’S BODY. Mercury wants to ‘help’ us, to break the Blackmagic spell, cast into Peter.”

When the twin-spoke about his brother… Jane froze and stopped flying. She was floating on a cloud. Paul made a U-IE turn and reached the distressed blind-girl, who placed both her hands, on her deadlocked, blond hair.

“Jane, are you alright?”

“Pauly... this-means PETER IS ‘INNOCENT,’ because it's the Evil-one, was solely responsible for all those natural-disasters by ‘forcing’ Peter from the ‘inside’… isn't that so…?”

“… huh… err, technically, that’s how demonic-possession should works… I guess…”

“Is it like Piper… Peter is ‘also’ possessed?”

“I can’t say much about your-dog, Piper – but, on my twin, he is ‘really’ screwed up-royally for even in the underworld-standard… because that was ‘what’ the beautiful lady… who is the Mother of Virgos said to me – that Asmodeus HAS ‘SOME’ OF PETER’S blood in a vial.”

“Why WOULD HE ‘DO’ that…?”

“… I DONNO… THAT MORON even asked your uncle’s medical technicians FOR A ‘SOUVENIR’ of his own blood… when they visited then. Now, this is is the reason the KING-DEMON-DJINN who would walk the Earth soon… in-my-twin, as some-bodysuit…!” Paul yelled in ire.

“So, this Mercury-demon, will help us, how…?’”

“Ya, he had introduced me to this beautiful woman… whom I can’t remember her name but… she told me she is, the Mother of Virgos, and… she told me TO ‘FETCH’ YOU?”

“When, Paul…?”

“I don’t know – I saw Mercury, last night – maybe ‘tonight’ we-go… I-think…”

“But what ‘about’ Piper…?”

Paul was in silent thoughts, before answered…

“No-Jane, your DOG IS A ‘PRIORITY’ – let’s go.”

They both flew from the clouds to their destination. On three-quarter the way, Paul asked her…

“Jane, will-you be now, GOING ‘OUT’ WITH Douglas Zimmerman?”

“Eww-please… I’m ‘NOT’ INTERESTED TO GO-OUT with anyone, for now-okay! Instead, I need ‘time’ to study, in this final term.”

“Good for you Jane… because Peter is now in the ‘dangerous-state’ at present, and you will be ENDANGERING DOUG’S LIFE, ‘if’ you hang out with him. Peter’s super-charged negative emotions have been SUPER-TOXIC LATELY, and even I can’t control him… looks like he is even ‘immune’ to the pain, that I inflict upon him.”

… Paul was glad when he heard that Jane, would ‘not’ blindside and provoke-Peter … with her love emotional-affairs because lately – he had been ‘listening’ to a lot-of ‘girls’ gossips,’ in the library.

They flew, and Paul saw the burning forest fires, at a distance…

“Jane… it’s that Perth’s forest fire, from the TV news – let’s go check that out.”

Brave firefighters were trying hard to contain the blaze. And, far in, between the depth of the inferno, stood the Egyptian female, BEAUTIFUL-DEMON – AMMUT – chanting Blackmagic spells, of old-Middle-eastern-tongue…

… she was accompanied by her pet, a hybreed BEAST, NAMED AMMIT – with the head and snout, of a giant crocodile, the forebody of a male lion, and the hind-legs of a scaly hippopotamus. The scary-looking beast was spitting fire, like a dragon – burning trees as it walked.

Ammut ‘SAW’ THE TWEENS ariel from a distance… flying in-and approaching the fire. She blew some magical-spell powder from her left palm, into the air above.

… Jane and Paul approached a kilometre from the conflagration – they both felt a change of wind, with it blowing-thick, black smoke that surrounded them. Paul was blinded, with burning lungs – before he dragged the coughing, blind-girl ‘out’ of harm’s way.

The 2 members-of-the Cursed-trio DID NOT SEE the ‘invisible’ foes below – because of the supernatural hexed-powder, that the demon-Ammut blew.

… the tweens were-out of danger… levitating vertically in the clouds, recovering – and also sweating profusely, from their cursed-scars… at just now’s heatwave.

“Sorry there-Jane… totally bad idea – TO DRAG YOU, BACK THERE… let the firefighters ‘deal’ with it… and we go now over to that vet-hospital, Jane.” Gasped Paul, with his palm, placed on his congested chest.

… they both then flew away, coughing.

Below, PETER ‘WATCHED’ THEM – the blue-and-yellow ‘glows’ in flight-away towards Perth’s downtown. He was sitting in his bike…

... on a lonely road and chanting the ‘same’ spells, of Ammut.

… grinning evil… and the one-armed BOY WAS MESMERIZED with the ‘sight’ of coming of the hell-fires…

… that would-be soon… reaching-Perth.

<><>

THEY CROUCHED-HID, IN THE HIGH FENCED compound of the Perth’s Veterinary Hospital, at 11:46 PM. In the dark, they both saw ‘saw’ a security van coming… with a welcome-hoot, at the gate.

The 2 storied-medium-sized, old government building was in the deserted, and secluded in downtown – a ‘secret’ faraway place…

... where they ‘destroy’ unwanted dogs… which were either sick, old or ‘dangerous.’

The gate opened, and the van stopped at the hospital’s guardhouse. And, 3 ‘foreign-looking-men,’ in security uniforms alight from the van… greeting the sentry-guard inside.

… the newly-arrival STAFF WERE CLOCKING-IN, for their midnight-duty.

“Gurkhas!”

“What Pauly…?”

“Those are ‘Gurkha-guards.’ My late grandpa Walker, told me his war-stories, as an Aussie-soldier in World War 2… where they fought the Japanese. The British used the Gurkhas soldiers as frontrunners in battles… because they are brave enough, to die-in battle.”

“OIC…”

The blind-girl responded, beside her ‘beacon’ – SEEING IN HER 3RD-EYE, of ‘shadows’ of men, entering the building.

“Jane, YOU BE-HERE, and let me go in ‘alone,’ and rescue-your dog – in the worst-case scenario, IF I’M CAUGHT – you can-work on whatever-Plan-B, you ‘come’ up with.”

“No, Pauly… I’m following.”

“Look, there will be CCTV cameras out-there… and they can clearly-see your ‘hair’ that is SCREAMING, ‘LOOK-AT-ME – ‘Perth’s famous couple.”

,,, the blind-girl pulled up her hoodie, of the Merino-jacket that she wore. “How-about now?”

Paul hesitated and answered. “…oo-kie…”

“How about you Paul… do you have a handkerchief…?”

“I got something better.”

… Paul grinned at the blind-Jane. He pulled out from his jacket, a ‘Spider-man mask.’

-O-

His Mom bought it for him, last year during Halloween, and a ‘Venom mask’ for Peter – where Stamford High had its tradition by celebrating the ‘day’ – after-school, with cosplay organised by the seniors.

Last year, even Alicia Wong won 3rd prize by dressing up as HitGirl, from the Kickass movie, with mask and a purple wig – which all happened before, when she was ‘not’ his ‘girlfriend,’ yet back then.

Even, blind Jane-participated – dressed as a ‘man’ with a walking stick and wore a pair-of-red-horns, and calling herself ‘Matt Murdock.’

-O-

… Paul mimicked Spidey… with half-worn mask, exposing his talking-mouth…

“First… we go in and cut the power… and-in total darkness, we search for Piper.”

“How could you ‘see’ in the dark, Paul…?” Jane giggled.

“I donno… I must take A CRASH-COURSE from ‘you,’ I guess…” Paul chuckled.

… Jane took off her AI dark-glasses, and she then placed her hand on the on her Boyyo’s headphone, and ‘snapped’ a detachable communication comm. The blind-girl expertly attached the comm, to the dark-glasses… that ‘snapped’ fit, like a Lego.

“Here USE THIS… it is a 3-way communication, we can have with Boyyo ‘incognito-mode’. And, YOU CAN ‘ASK’ MY-AI ANYTHING… it goes and searches online… and get back, with the ‘best’ possible answer. Pauly, use it like how… Peter did, in tennis practice.”

He poked out the perforated, white-plastic-eyes in the Spider-man mask.

“Cool, thanks!’ Paul wore the AI-glasses on top of the mask, and WENT ON THE EXCLAIM, to what he ‘saw.’

“Whoa…!!! it’s like Iron-man’s Jarvis, in here!”

“Who…?” Said the-confused blind-girl.

“Never mind… let’s go, Jane.”

They crept in the shadows, as they avoided the CCTV cameras in the hospital compound, and also the sentry guard post. Paul asked…

“Jane, does Boyyo have a ‘night-vision’ mode?”

“You go, ask ‘him.’”

“Yes-Paul… I have a ‘night-vision’ purpose function.”

… Paul exclaimed in awe again… after hearing Boyyo in the comm’s earpiece.

“Whoa, ‘he-just spoke’ to me!”

They went to the main door, where 3 Gurkha guards had earlier entered inside. It was locked and was KEYPAD PROTECTED – that need a key-pass, to open the door.

“Do you want me to hack, the system?”

“Yes,” Jane ordered.

“Boyyo-can do that… wow…!!?”

In 8 seconds, the door opened. And, Paul exclaimed again in wonderment.

“Whoa, Boyyo… you are a ‘badass’ mission-impossible!”

… both Jane and Boyyo shushed the ‘excited’ boy – as they entered the old building. Paul levitated inside, and searched for the main switchboard, to turn it off.

“Where is ‘this’ switch box…?”

“Take me to the ‘legend’ ahead… and I will find it for you, Paul.”

“What the hell, is a legend…?”

“The floorplan of the facility – it is on 2’oclock… ahead of you.”

… Paul saw a metal old, sheet that was mounted on the wall, since the hospital was built, back in the ’70s. In the dark-glasses, Boyyo PHOTOGRAPHED THE BLUEPRINT and analysed the hospital’s layout – ENTRY AND EXITS, for-later escapes.

“Paul, the switchboard is 20 paces – to the right-hand corner.”

“Thank you, Boyyo.” He said as he floated over.

They entered a small-sized room with the switchboards. Paul pulled OUT A DOZEN FUSES, and dropped them on the floor – they too were ‘now’ in dark, IN BLACKOUT. Paul then used his electrical superpower, to ‘FRY AND MELT’ those fuses on the floor.

“The backup generator will come into activation soon – do you want to go there, and disable that too?”

“No Boyyo, FIND WHERE the pound is – where, PIPER IS NOW QUARANTINED…?” Jane instructed. “We don’t have much time… let’s go straight to Piper.”

“Very well, Jane – your dog, Piper is on the floor above.”

… they quickly exited the power-room, and followed the mission-plan, to rescue the Hero-dog.

In pitch darkness, using the night-vision…Paul held Jane’s hand and guided the blind-girl, with Boyyo’s instructions to the staircase, that led upstairs. In the dark…

... they ‘saw’ a Gurkha guard, coming with a flashlight – they hid…

… the safeguard went into the switchboard room, flashing the torch around. From outside, Paul and Jane heard him-exclaim out, in his native Nepalese language. He then used his walkie-talkie comm… to ALERT THE OTHER 2 GUARDS, of his ‘finding.’

Silently, Paul avoided the room. He placed Jane’s hand on his shoulder, to follow his upstairs in the dark. The tweens reached, and Paul with Boyyo on NIGHT-VISION MODE searched, along the darken hallway, with some empty-ward rooms, that-filled with boxes-and-boxes, of records of-old files stacked up…

… their footsteps attracted some distant dogs’ barks, in the shadow. They followed the noise, further down the gloomy path. And, they reached a ward-room with 20 over cages, half-empty – with 11 animals – old and sickly dogs, some barking and others sleeping.

“Paul, PIPER IS ‘NOT’ HERE.” He heard a worried voice, behind him.

“Yup, no grey-Alsatian-in here.”

“Try the other room – my ‘heat-sensor’ detects… other dogs over there.” Said Boyyo...

… they exited the-noisy room.

Meanwhile, in the downstairs, a 2nd guard joined the first, in the switchboard room – they were discussing to-do A PERIMETER-SECURITY-search for trespassers, in the blackout animal hospital.

Upstairs…

… Boyyo guided the tween, based on the legend-info earlier. They entered the 2nd ward… with only 2 cages apart, with 2 dogs.

In a cage marked – ‘Quarantine’

... was Piper barking excitedly when it-saw Jane – and she shushed him to quiet-up…

… Paul saw the other caged dog, in his night-vision… a big, female Belgium Malinois named Kitty. She looked frightened… whimpering softly, ‘seeing’ an odd, human hovering ‘above’ the floor.

Paul had seen on the TV news yesterday, of the CONTROVERSY-OF THIS DOG, mauling up her handler while training. The dog should be ‘destroyed,’ reported-by the law – after its trainer was hospitalized… with serious bodily injuries.

… he also saw the new B-story TV report, of the man’s crying wife and 2 children at his bedside. While on the flipside online… there were reports too from dog-lovers’ NGOs who claimed that Kitty… was an ‘abused’ physically-and-mentally dog – and should ‘not’ be put to ‘sleep.’

“Jane, they are going TO KILL ‘THIS’ DOG tomorrow…”

“… oh, the poor thing… who could such-a thing to a doggie…” Jane whispered back.

Where else, Piper was a CELEBRITY, HERO-DOG OF PERTH – a new-found ‘pride’ of the city, according to the dog-loving-country groups – and even-though when he ‘had’ attacked the farmer who wanted to shot the dingo… and ‘chewed-on’ his pistol-hand – ‘the-NGOs’ made AN ‘EXCUSE’ FOR PIPER for his attack, and claiming the hero-dog was ‘distressed,’ when the farmer shot the dingo – despite, A HUMAN-BEING ALSO HAD DIED in the ‘same’ attacks… of that unfaithful day…in Narrogin…

… instead of ‘destroying’ Piper…

…the NGOs of dog-lovers’ groups, decided – the missing guide-dog to be RETURNED… to the rightful owner, the Blind Jane Wilson.

“Jane, as a dog owner, do you ever think, ‘DOGS’ SHOULD GET 2ND CHANCE, for their ‘wrongdoings’ in their parts they play, and share, in our life?”

He saw the blind-girl in his night-vision, nodding to an agreement. Paul thought ‘so’ too, every living-being deserved a 2nd chance – EXCEPT FOR HIS TWIN-BROTHER.

… Paul saw both of the metal cages were padlocked, and the cage-flooring too, were metal railings. If he used his electricity-superpower to dismantle the locks, he would ‘electrocute’ the poor animals inside, in the process.

“Jane, you have to use YOUR ‘BLAST POWERS’ to explode the locks, and set the dogs free.”

“I don’t know, if I can do it – I have ‘NOT’ PRACTICED IT since, at the ‘zoo’ – I even failed to demonstrate, what I ‘have’ to Uncle Jack lately…”

“… Jane, we don’t have much time… it looks like THE-FASTEST WAY is when you ‘damage-away’ the locks – please-try!”

“Pauly, what if I hurt them…”

In the dark… they both heard a CRACKLE IN THE WALKIE-TALKIE, with Nepalese spoken… at the foot of the stairs.

“Stop thinking… AND JUST DO IT, girl!”

Her taste buds felt a minty taste. The blind-girl inhaled a BREATH OF SELF-CONFIDENCE – she had DONE THIS BEFORE when she subdued a black panther…

Cosmic-flames from her palm… BLEW AWAY the padlock – the frightened Kitty pissed herself, in fright… of the girl’s superhuman ability.

“Come, girl – you now get outta here!”

… Paul said out, opening the cage door wide. The she-dog sprinted away, in the dark.

Next, Jane blasted the padlock on Piper’s cage…

-O-

… at the stairs…

… the running Belgium Malinois was confronted, by 2 Gurkha guards with flashlights, who were drawn to-search, when they heard 2 separate blasts upstairs.

They cornered the dog – withdrew their batons and cursed in Nepalis… and went to attack. The trained Kitty, ‘knew’ her training – she brought one of guard down on-the-fly… sank her-teeth deep into the man’s armpit and fiercely-mauling…

The 2nd guard went-in to help… and he hit the biting dog with his baton. Kitty yelped in pain, stopping her-attacks on the man, and RAN BACK AWAY in the dark.

The angry Gurkha gave her a chase…

… nearby, Paul was finding for an a-quick exit – and he opened the windows and he saw the floor’s 2 long, horizontally RUNNING POWER-CABLES, going going-across the compound yard’s 5-meter-high fences.

“Paul, we are in the TOP 2ND FLOOR – do you plan to JUMP 6 METERS DOWN…?” Asked Boyyo...

The floating Paul saw behind, at the barking Piper… wagging his tail and playfully greeted his master.

“Quiet Piper!” The blind-girl calmed her dog.

… Paul heard the other-bark, of the Belgium Malinois’ warning. Soon they ‘saw’ Kitty was being pursued, by a baton-wielding Gurkha, coming fast towards them.

… the guard stopped 2 meters ahead in the murk dim-lit by the open windows … and he shouted…

“What are YOU DOING HERE!!?”

As, he shone his high-beamed torchlight into Paul’s face – who was wearing at that time, the Boyyo-glasses, ON NIGHT-VISION MODE.

… Paul was ‘blinded,’ as he clumsily backed away in pain-burns, from both-of his retinas. Eyes-shut, he heard the 2 dogs barking behind him…

The Gurkha shouted out. “You 2, SURRENDER NOW!”

The still blinded Paul in his Spidey-mask was with his eyes tearing up… as held-up his hand to the guard… and Paul warning-the man…

“You back-off, G! I can ‘shoot’ electricity – and, I don’t wanna ‘hurt’ you, G!”

That WAS ‘HOW’ HIS WW2 soldier, Grandpa Walker ‘called’ the Nepalese Gurkha, as ’Ji.’

Next, the blinded Paul heard angry, hissed-curses, in Nepalese coming at him – the only word…

… he ‘understood’ from the foreign tongue, was ‘Spider-man.’

The ‘partially-sighted’ Paul blasted electric-bolt-sparks, at the chest of the baton-wielding Gurkha… who then-dropped down, on the floor.

… he knew his ‘shot’ WAS ‘NOT’ FATAL… as he had ‘practises,’ on his-twin brother Peter.

“Paul, are you, okay…?”

... Jane approached him as he stumbled. Paul was nauseated… as handed OVER TO HER, HER BOYYO AI dark-glasses and – puked on the floor…

… he recovered fast, and told…

“Jane, WE GET OFF… from here fast!”

He pointed at the open windows… and the blind-girl, using her 3rd-Eye ‘understood’ what Paul had meant.

The tweens both held Piper’s both-forelegs, as they hauled the big dog out through the window. Kitty saw both of the ‘super-ability’ humans carrying ‘their’ dog, to the ground…

…Kitty heard noises of curses spewed, behind her – the Gurkha guard recovered fast too, and was standing up, with his baton.

… the frightened dog jumped out of the window… and skilfully landing on the 2 lines of high power-cables – the trained-Kitty remembered-HER TIGHTROPE-WALK routine.

-O-

Outside, on the compound yard, Paul, Jane and Piper ran to the high fences. The 3rd Gurkha guard was chasing them from behind… and the fat-sentry guard was coming-in too, blowing his whistle…

… the athletic Gurkha-was closing in, when the tween reached the 5-meter-tall fence. Paul and Jane heaved the Alsatian again, and THEY LEVITATED TOGETHER, trying to get the dog over the fence…

… they were halfway over, when the security guard LEAPT-HIGH FROM BEHIND, and grabbed Paul and Jane by their ‘heads,’ and they ALL FELL ON THE GROUND, inside the fence. But the-half way-Piper leapt on the vertical barrier and scaled the fence, on his own…

… like he did ‘before’ at the zoo’s razor-top fence.

… Paul’s Spidey mask came off, and Jane’s hoodie too tore… revealing their ‘identities.’ The man then detained them… by pinning Paul and Jane down-to the ground.

The crippled boy held, the Gurkha’s arm… and he electrocuted him.

The yelping-man fell unconscious on the side. On the other side of the fence, Piper was on the ground – barking and alerting the tweens.

… Paul looked up, at the coming whistle-blowing guard. He got up and reached out… to dazed blind-Jane and said…

“Come, Jane…”

… Piper saw Kitty, who had a SUCCESSFUL TIGHTROPE WALK, on the horizontal power-lines – and saw her leaping to the power-pole, almost-pole-danced – while she scaled down-on it… like she was ‘taught’ in her security-training...

… Kitty-then joined Piper, and both the dogs barked out loud... at the fence…

Inside, Paul grabbed the blind-girl and-hauled her above – and THEY-TOOK FLIGHT, into the night-skies. The 2 dogs followed them… racing on the ground, from behind.

… the fat guard stopped blowing the whistle and his chasing… clueless-speechless… and LOOKING ‘DISTURBED…

…. witnessing ‘stranger-things’ at downtown Perth Animal Hospital… at the early witching hours.

<>

PAUL’S INJURED EYES HURT A LOT, when the tween decided to descend on earth, and reciprocate. The cripple boy was-tearing a lot and kept rubbing his eyes, with his palms.

They sat on a bench, in King’s Park – and were delighted of THEIR MISSION ‘SUCCESS,’ of rescuing Perth’s Hero-dog, Piper.

“Jane, your dog has a new ‘girlfriend’… named Kitty.”

The excited blind-girl hugged and kissed his cheek saying…

“Thank you for introducing, her to Piper…”

“But Jane, it was you who blasted her cage open – and gave Kitty a 2nd chance in her life, because she was sure-CERTAIN TO BE ‘DESTROYED,’ later this morning.”

“At least my Piper-boy won’t be ‘alone,’ with Kitty in his company.” The blind-girl responded, but holding her tummy, and groaning…

“What’s wrong, Jane?”

“It’s my gastric-problem – I’m hungry…”

“Me too.” Said Paul, looking at his wristwatch, that showed 3:17 AM – but he did ‘not’ have his alibi-wheelchair at the moment, but he HAD SOME MONEY. He-fluttered his lips, before he pulled out A$30 from his jacket, and gave it to Jane…

“Here, take this – and go-with Boyyo… and get us-both some burgers.”

He saw blind-Jane giving her instructions to her AI, BEFORE TAKING OFF… and ascending back-flying into the dusky skies...

... while the disabled boy sat ‘alone’ on the bench, with his eyes shut as he recovered...

-O-

… at the nearby, deserted 24-hour McDonald outlet, in the same-witching hour…was the blind-girl ordering a double-order of food.

The few customers in were ‘not’ bothered by the Jane, with her torn hoodie – as they had witnessed many-teen blondes, these days – with DREADLOCK-HAIRED LOOK-ALIKES, walking the streets of Perth, and impersonating PFC LIKE ‘DOUBLES.’

… Jane flew back to King’s Park, with Boyyo GPS-ing her for directions…

…both Paul and Jane spread the late-night supper-meal, on the bench… and they ate. They had Big Macs double-cheeseburgers, fries and sundae ice-creams. Jane had forgotten ‘the mustard,’ where Paul preferred the condiment in his beef-burger… but he was too hungry to complain.

While they both ate… they continued to speak ‘dearly’ of Piper, whom the blind-girl missed the most since the dog was ‘cursed.’

“Come-on, don’t be-sad Jane… at least, he has Kitty-by his side now – I make a toast and wish those 2-mutts well, with LONG ‘2ND CHANCE’ of life – and more adventures together, and… baby-mutts too.”

… they both laughed – and ‘clink’ together with their plastic ice-cream cups… before eating it.

They then spoke of a string of various trivial-topics, like the charity-match that the blind-girl partnered with his twin – where the PFC pair lost to the country club's ex-internationals – and the food they had at the banquet some-hours ago, and also, the free membership of pro-tennis training by the country-club that Jane had 'won'…

… Paul enquired if Jane would-take up the offer, of the ‘free’ membership – in which, the blind-girl flatly-said ‘no’ –she doesn’t have the time, and her studies for the final term, was still her top priority in her life. But SHE HAD AN ‘OBLIGATION’ – and also ‘gave’ her word to Peter… to play in the school’s mixed-double knockout.

… Paul voiced too, that she had made a wise decision, by ‘not’ accepting the free offer, because DOUGIE ‘THE TRIGGER’ – who-was the ‘country-club-boy,’ and was in Pete's hit list…

… along with their Principle Harris – like-how he told Alicia, earlier the night.

… he was pleased to see Jane nodding, in agreement.

“Jane, a serious question – do you believe, Peter should-get a 2nd chance, after all the disastrous, destructions that he had caused…?”

“But like you said… HE IS POSSESSED by-the ‘curse’ – that’s ‘why’ I think… he is ‘not’ to be blamed, but the one who ‘controls’ him-is…”

… Paul was quiet, as he thought of HIS PLAN-B RESORT… if everything else failed in the ‘2nd chance’ by the Good-one’s efforts-in ‘not’ saving his twin – ‘but’ was killing off-Peter for the greater redemption good – could be his ‘only’ option…

... with the-bearing… of an eternal life of Catholic-guilt, after-that?

It was late, after their late-late-supper… and they both decide to go home. They both flew off from the bench in King’s Park, up into the dawning skies. Boyyo was GPS-ing them, with the aerial directions.

It was 4:03 AM, when Paul sent the blind-girl safely to her bedroom-window of Wilson’s residence – before the-blue beacon flew-solo, back home.

He got ‘lost’ as he couldn’t find his bearings… with a blanket of the forest-fire smoke that was fanning across Perth’s atmosphere.

… his eyes smart as he teary-eyed away, and he used his instincts, of the city’s hazy-landmarks memorized, to get back home.

It was 4:26 AM… when he approached for an aerial touchdown, at Walker’s house lawn – in-air, he noticed his mother’s Audi parked at the gated-porch.

He knew Mom would be sleeping upstairs, but the DOOR’S ALARM-SYSTEM would-trigger and awake her – at this hour – forcing the police-mother to inspect and-catch him, sneaking into the house… without his alibi-wheelchair.

… Paul landed beside the car, as he levitated – and, was then-alarmed to see the garage door open… with the dim tungsten light lit inside.

Was there a break-in? The crippled boy hovered over… to investigate inside…

… Paul saw Peter… sitting in the dark side of the garage, still wearing his sporting outfit from the charity match.

He was drinking a tall-can of RedBull alone… looking at his old-prosthetic arm, from an opened box. When Peter saw his twin ‘outside’ – he scoffed, he threw the fake arm across the room, as he cursed under his breath. The one-armed boy grabbed, his backpack with his tennis racquets… got on his bike, and left at dawn…

… both the twins were ‘not’ in talking terms…

… but Paul saw Peter’s face – was darkened, and was guessing… IF WAS IT THE DRUGS – or was it the ‘possession…?’

‘And, where the hell was, he going off ‘next,’ at that hour?’

Everything got fuzzy soon, as the crippled boy was-bushed… and was knock-head dead-sleepy. He switched off the light… and laid-on the workbench table…

… and Paul instantly fell asleep… without his-routine prayer-saying.

-O-

On the road, the angry one-armed Peter rode his bike, and cursing out aloud, at his twin – who he had seen earlier in flight, with Janey.

… was the cripple 2-timing around with his China-doll, by ‘ALSO’ GOING OUT with her blind-BFF, behind her back?

He sighed and scoffed… but-that it-was ‘not’ important-for now – for he has a ‘bigger’ PURPOSE TO PLAY-AND ‘FRY’…

… by ‘being’ at Perth’s gate…

… to-welcome Ammut and Ammit in – to TERRORIZE THE CITY… by razing-it to the ground.