The Ghost Hunters and The Familiar Strangers

Xen and his friends came up with an idea. "I feel this is going to work," Jason said. The others nodded in agreement.

"I guess we can handle this," said Carlos.

"I knew with Xen this thinking stuff will be amazing." Everyone chuckled at Devon's remark.

"I better start going now before Riele-Rose finds out I am gone." Xen stood up and was about to take his leave when Amelia stood up to meet him.

"Be safe okay?" She said. Xen nodded touching her cheeks. "And my mom, can you help me find a way to get her here?" Amelia asked.

Xen nodded and bade them goodbye.

Amelia sighed. It was like there was this empty void she was feeling inside of her but she doesn't know why she is feeling that way. Clarissa noticed and she came to meet her. "Are you ok?" She asked.

Amelia placed her hand on her chest and said, "My heart feels empty... like something is missing."

Tamara who heard the conversation joined them and said, "Maybe you are missing Xen, I mean you guys just shared a passionate kiss."

Amelia shook her head. "That's not how I'm feeling."

Devon and the rest noticed and they joined them. "Is everything ok?" Carlos asked.

Clarissa worried about her friend answered, "She said she's feeling a void in her heart." "Could it be you are missing Xen all of a sudden?" Norman asked.

Tamara answered, "That's the same thing I said."

"I don't know guys," Amelia answered feeling all weak and faint.

"Why don't you get some rest?" Devon suggested.

"I guess I do need it." Amelia was taken to her room by Clarissa who stayed with her

~~~

Xen arrived at the hideout, he took off his coat and placed it on the chair. He went into the kitchen looking for Laura but she wasn't there. He searched the rooms in the hideout and still, there was no sign of him. He asked the ghost seers in the room and everyone said they hadn't seen her. "Where is Riele?" Xen asked.

"She said she will be right back but she didn't give us a specific direction where she was going." One of the ghosthunters answered.

Xen was becoming uncomfortable with the whole thing. He didn't know what to do. "I am going to search for her." He told the ghost seers.

They nodded.

Xen grabbed his coat and was about to leave when Riele showed up. "Hey." she greeted them with a smile and a peck on his cheeks. "Where have you been?"

Irritated by her kiss and hug but not wanting to show it, Xen smiled and said, "I went out for esh air since we will be saving Carlos soon."

"OH!" She said.

Changing the topic, Xen asked; "Where's Laura?"

"She didn't tell you?" Riele said looking shocked.

Xen looked at her not understanding the question; "Tell me what?" He asked.

"She said she needs to go somewhere but she didn't tell me where and you know she doesn't like me that much and I didn't bother asking her further questions." "But she should have told."

Riele shrugged, "I did tell her to wait for you before leaving but you know how she is, she didn't listen to me."

Xen nodded. "Alright then!" He took his coat and left to his room. He was relaxing on his bed when Riele came to join him.

"What's up with you? You are not yourself lately. Are you sure you are okay?" Riele asked climbing on top of him.

If she was his girlfriend, he would have permitted it but she's not. He pulled her off him, "I should start making plans on how to save Carlos, don't you think?" He stood up and left her alone in the room. Riele noticed something was up called Dalton.

Nurse Christen's body has been gotten and is in the transformator. Laura's body has just arrived and is undergoing deep cleansing. "Make sure there are no mistakes," Dalton commanded. The ghosts chorused "Yes sire."

Dalton was watching his success when a beep came in. He opened the communicator and he saw it was Riele. He answered, "I have gotten the body."

"That's not what I wanted to talk to you about," Riele answered. Dalton noticed her voice was a bit shaky so he asked her, "What's wrong?"

"Xen is acting strange. I think he knows who I am and if he knows who I am that means he knows everything."

Dalton laughed. Riele annoyed at his outburst of laughter asked, "What is so funny in what I said."

Dalton answered her saying, "I saw that coming but do not let your mind be troubled. If Dalton is just like his father, I know he will go on with the plan... let him go on with the plan. does he know Amelia's mother is dead?" "Not yet."

"That means he doesn't know the new plan. Make sure he doesn't find out Amelia's mother is dead and remember, we are after Amelia and not Xen." Riele felt a sudden relief at Dalton's words. He hung up the call. "Make it snappy, the show is about to begin." He told them as they hurried up with the processes.

~~~Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

The ghosthunters got ready for the so-called Carlos rescue mission. The plan was for Carlos and Tessa to remain in the house while the rest of them would go to the hideout and grab everything they needed unknown to them that the plan had already been changed. They were putting Xen's life as bait while Dalton wants Amelia that way it's killing two birds with one stone.

The other members left to meet Xen at the hideout. Arriving there, Riele pretended to be shocked to see them so she said, "what are you guys doing here?" She asked.

Tamara moved closer to her and stare at her face, "what does it look like?" She asked glaring at her. "We are here to save our friend and if you don't want that... you can leave us to do our job."

Riele looked at everyone and she noticed Amelia was carried away looking at something else. Riele knowing she was looking for her mother smirked when others weren't watching. She excused herself while the ghosthunters did what they wanted. Amelia went to the kitchen to look for her mother but she wasn't there. She looked around the house but still no sign of her mother. Xen coming out of the bathroom saw her searching the house. Amelia's eyes met his and Xen came closer to meet her. "Where's my mom?" She asked.

"Just calm down," Xen told her touching her hands. "She went to get something but she didn't say where she was going and when she is coming back."

"How long has she been gone for?"

"Two days" Xen answered. He could feel how tense and stiff Amelia's hands were. He could tell she was scared so he admonishes her, "your mom is fine ok? I can attest to that."

Attest to what??? A dead woman?? Riele asked holding back her laughter. "Let's get going then. If we want to do this then we are going to have to do it now." Riele said as everyone grabbed a weapon. Devon had already hidden some weapons for Carlos when no one was watching.

They all came outside and there they met Amelia's mother. Amelia seeing her mother ran to hug her. "Mom" she called as her mother hugged her back. "I was worried about you, where have you been?"

"I had to get prepared for today. Can you take a walk with me?" Laura asked.

Amelia turned to seek approval from her friends and they all approved knowing how worried Amelia has been. Amelia returned the weapon to Xen since she wanted to have a quiet conversation with her mother.

"Something doesn't look right," Clarissa said to herself. Riele was the only one who heard her and before she ruins their plan, she has to think of something fast

"Why don't we get going?" Riele said as she led the way.

Carlos and Tessa entered the hideout. Carlos took the weapon while Tessa stood there scanning the room. She was surprised when she saw a familiar image standing next to the kitchen door. She walked closer to the image and when she turned the image, it was Amelia's mother.

"Help my daughter." Laura pleaded as Tessa ran to meet Carlos.

"Amelia's mother is dead," Tessa said making Carlos look at her in disbelief.

"Is this some kind of a joke? Why would she be dead?" Carlos asked.

Tessa dragged him to where she met her and since Carlos can see ghosts, he would be able to see her but getting there, Laura was gone. Carlos looked at her, "do you mind explaining what this is all about?" He asked.

"Believe me. Do you think I'd come up with something like this??? She said 'help my daughter'. Believe me, Carlos, please." Tessa pleaded.

Carlos gave up. "Fine but how do we go about it? we can't let them see us."

"I will give the information to Xen," Tessa said. As she was about to disappear, Carlos held her hand.

"And what about Riele?"

"I can't just stay and do nothing knowing Amelia is in danger." Tessa didn't wait to listen to Carlos, she jerked away from her hand from his and disappeared.

~~~

Dalton has up to one hundred ghosts with bodies waiting for his command. The battle isn't going to be in the spirit realm as the ghosthunters thought but it was going to be a battle in the physical realm. "Send Clarissa's mother there and after that, we will join them "Dalton ordered as Nurse Christen disappeared into the physical realm. One of the ghosts came to deliver a report to him. " is that so?" He asked. The ghost nodded. "Signal Rose give me a call when Clarissa's mother appears." The ghost nodded and left to deliver the message to Rose.

"To make this more interesting, why don't we pay a visit to Amelia's dad?" Dalton instructed some ghosts to grab Amelia's dad and he told them where to keep him. The ghosts disappeared to meet Jones.

~~~

Andrae was having issues with his son Damian. He had dealt with the issue of the pregnancy but there was another report that Damian was caught stealing money from the school secretary. "I have had enough of you. If I knew this is who you are, I wouldn't have adopted you that day. Pack your things, I am sending you back to the orphanage." Andrae pushed Damian into his room and gestured for him to start packing. After fifteen minutes, they were done packing. Andrae grabbed his car keys, he opened the door only to be welcomed by four men he has never met before in his life. "Going somewhere?" One of the ghosts asked.

"And who are you?" He asked.

Damian was scared all of a sudden. He has never seen men like this before in his life, they were hefty men. He tried his best to compose himself. "If you don't mind please excuse me... as you can see, I have a son to return to where I took him from." Andrae tried to push his way out but they didn't even move a muscle.

"I will take him." One of the ghosts grabbed Damian and hit him with his hand on the side of his neck making him lose consciousness. He was about to shout when another ghost grabbed him and covered his nose with his hand. He made sure Andrea had fainted before carrying him to the designated place Dalton gave him.