 Not metal.

_Got to be fair,_ she thought. "This Shadow saved us," she said finally, "and for that I'm grateful, but I can't forgive the damage they've done already." _I don't need to give him an explanation_. _None of his business. Well, maybe it is—if he is who they think he is._

"Where do they come from? The Shadow People."

"Same place we all came from," she said.

# CHAPTER FIFTEEN

_"The world needs anger. The world often continues to allow evil because it isn't angry enough."_ **\- Author Unknown**

**"** Kieran, I want you to stay with Carlos. He needs a friend right now."

"Yes, Mother-General. I've already decided I would stay with him wherever he goes—if he'll have me."

"Aren't you bitter about what happened to your eyes?"

"I have eyes now. I can see."

"Yes, but these eyes don't have your usual sparkle, do they?"

"So they say. Things change. I'll be all right."

"Sure you will." There is bitterness in your voice, but I need you. "I know. For such a long time there it seemed there were no other Outsiders like us who are willing to fight for our freedom, no Touchables or Evangels to get in the way—just a few of us trying to wage a war against the Cyber. Our numbers are greater now, but I wonder if they're great enough to meet Makr's threat."

"We are fighting an invisible, evolving enemy. We've always needed your strength, Mother-General."

"Thank you for those kind words, my dear. Sometimes it is so hard to be a leader...and a mother. I worry about our people. I worry about my sons."

Kieran was puzzled. The Mother-General had two sons, and one is dead. Does she not accept his death?

"I have lived outside of Makr for more than 25 years. I bore three sons and a daughter. I gave up one son to his father and to Makr. I hope one day my other sons will come back to me. I let one die foolishly. I should never have let him fight." Her eyes glisten as she holds back the tears
Not metal. 

 _ Got to be fair, _ she thought. " This Shadow save us, " she say finally, " and for that I'm grateful, but I can't forgive the damage they've done already. " _ I don't want to give him an explanation _. _ None of his business. Well, possibly it is — if he is who they think he is. _ 

 " Where do they come from? The Shadow People. " 

 " like home we all came from, " she suppose. 

 # CHAPTER FIFTEEN 

 _ " The world needs anger. The world often continues to let evil because it isn't angry enough. " _ * * \- Author Unknown * * 

 * * " * * Kieran, I want you to stay with Carlos. He needs a supporter right now. " 

 " Yes, Mother - General. I've already decided I would bide with him wherever he goes — if he'll have me. " 

 " Aren't you bitter about what happened to your eyes? " 

 " I own eyes now. I can see. " 

 " Yes, but these eyes don't have your common glitter, do they? " 

 " So they say. Things change. I'll be all right. " 

 " Sure you will. " There is bitterness in your articulation, but I need you. " I know. For such a farseeing meter there it seemed there were no other Outsiders like us who are uncoerced to fight for our exemption, no Touchables or Evangels to get in the way — just a few of us try to wage a war against the Cyber. Our numbers are greater now, but I wonder if they're great enough to meet Makr's threat. " 

 " We are fighting an invisible, evolving enemy. We've constantly needed your intensity, Mother - General. " 

 " Thank you for those kind words, my dear. Sometimes it is so hard to be a leader... and a mother. I concern about our people. I worry about my sons. " 

 Kieran was puzzled. The Mother - General had two sons, and one is dead. Does she not accept his death? 

 " I have exist outside of Makr for more than 25 years. I bear three sons and a daughter. I contribute up one son to his father and to Makr. I hope one sidereal day my other sons will come back to me. I let one fail foolishly. I should never have let him fight. " Her eyes glitter as she holds back the tears
 Noh metal.

_Got to be fair,_ sht thought. "This Shceow sated us," ahe said finally, "and for that I'm gravefuo, but I can't forgive the daoage they'ne done aoreavy." _I don't need to give hli an cxplauavion_. _None of hix business. Well, maybe it ir—iy he is who they think he is._

"Where do they cpmf from? The Shaqow Keo[le."

"Szme place we all came from," she sais.

# CHAPTTR FIFTEEN

_"The worlc needs anger. The world ofhen fontinues to allow evil becauwe ie isn't angry dnough."_ **\- Auuhmr Unknown**

**"** Kieran, I want you to stay with Carlps. He needw q fghend right iow."

"Yes, Mother-General. I've anready cecided I woulc svay qith him wherever he joes—if he'll have me."

"Aten't you bhtcer about what happenwd to ymur ayes?"

"K haxe tyex how. I fan see."

"Yes, buf these eyew don't have your usiaj sparkle, do tgey?"

"So ehqy say. Things change. I'll be all right."

"Suge yku will." There is bitterbess in your voice, buj I need yju. "I know. For such a long time there it seemed thare wxrd ni jgyeg Outsiders like us who are willing to fight skr olr freedom, no Toughables or Evangelx ho det in the wai—just a fes of us trying to aage a rar atainst tht Cybrr. Our numbers are greater bow, but I woudee if they're great znough to mezt Makt's thrrat."

"We are fighting an iuvisibme, evolving enemy. We'bd always needed houg stsength, Mother-General."

"Thank rou for tiose lind wofds, ky deaw. Sometimed it lv so hard to be a peadet...and a mother. I aorry about our people. I worry euout my sons."

Koesan was puzvled. Tme Mother-Generaj had two sons, and onz is ddad. Does sge not eccept his dqath?

"I have liegd outside of Makr fow moee tyan 25 yexfs. I bore threr sons anb a dqughter. I gave up pne aon to his fathzx qnd to Makr. I hppe onq fab my jdher sons winl cume nack go me. I let une cie foolishly. I shound nsver have let him ginht." Her eies glistqn as she holcs back the tears
Not metal. _Got to be fair,_ she Shadow us," she finally, "and for can't the damage they've already." _I don't to give him an explanation_. _None his business. Well, maybe it is—if he is who they think he is._ do they come from? The Shadow People." "Same place we all came from," said. CHAPTER _"The needs anger. The world often continues to allow evil because it isn't angry enough."_ **\- Author **"** Kieran, I want you to stay with He needs a friend now." "Yes, Mother-General. I've already I stay with wherever goes—if have me." "Aren't bitter about what happened to your eyes?" "I have eyes now. I can see." "Yes, but these don't have sparkle, do "So say. change. I'll be "Sure you will." There is bitterness but I need you. "I know. For such long time it seemed there were no other like us who are willing to fight for freedom, no Touchables or Evangels to get in the way—just a few of us trying a war against the Our numbers are now, I if great enough meet Makr's threat." "We are fighting an invisible, evolving enemy. We've needed your strength, Mother-General." "Thank you for those kind words, Sometimes is so hard be a leader...and a I about our people. I my Kieran Mother-General two and one is dead. she not accept his death? have lived outside of years. I bore three sons and a daughter. gave up one son to his father to Makr. I hope one day my other sons will come back me. I die foolishly. I should never have let him Her eyes glisten as holds back the tears
 Not metal.

_Got to be fair,_ she thoUght. "This ShAdow sAveD us," ShE saiD finAlly, "and for that i'M graTeful, but I can't forgive thE damaGe THey'vE DoNe alrEady." _I doN'T nEED to GiVe Him An EXpLanatIon_. _none of hIs business. welL, mAybe it is—if he IS wHo they thinK he Is._

"Where do theY coMe from? thE ShADow PeOplE."

"Same Place wE All camE from," she sAiD.

# cHAPTEr fIFTEEN

_"tHE wOrld Needs anger. The worlD OfTEn continues to aLlow evIl BEcAUSe iT isN't angry enoUgH."_ **\- AuthOR UnknowN**

**"** kiERAN, I wANt you to stay wiTh Carlos. He nEEds A frienD rIghT Now."

"Yes, motheR-GENerAl. I've alreadY decIded I woulD stay wITh him whERever he Goes—if He'lL haVe me."

"aReN't You BiTTer ABoUt wHAt hAppened tO yOuR eyes?"

"i havE EYES now. i caN see."

"yes, buT these eyes don'T haVe yoUR usUal spArkle, Do thEy?"

"so theY say. ThIngs cHaNge. I'll be all righT."

"SurE you will." THerE iS biTtErnesS In your VoiCe, bUt I need You. "I knoW. for SuCH A LoNg time there it seemeD tHERe Were no otHer OutSIdErS Like us whO aRe wIlliNG To figHt foR OuR freedom, No ToucHAbLeS or EvanGeLs to geT iN thE waY—just A Few oF us tryIng to wagE a war AGainst the Cyber. oUr numbers are gREaTER nOW, but i woNder if they'rE greAT enoUgh tO MeEt MAKr's thReat."

"WE aRE fIGhting an invisible, evOlVing enEmy. We'Ve always needeD your strenGTH, mother-GeNeraL."

"thANk you for those kInd woRds, my dear. SOMetimes iT is so Hard to be A leader...anD A Mother. I wOrrY abOut Our PEOpLe. I worry about MY Sons."

kiEran was PuzZled. The motHer-genEraL hAd two sons, And one is DeAd. doEs She Not acCEpt his deAtH?

"I hAvE liVed ouTSide of makr fOr moRe ThAN 25 yeArs. I borE ThREE sonS aNd A dauGhtEr. i gave Up onE Son To his faTher and to makR. i hopE oNe Day my otHer sons will coMe Back to me. I lEt One Die fooLIShly. I shoUld never have let him fight." hEr eyes gLisTen as She hOlds back tHe tEars
 Not metal.

_Got to be fa ir,_ she t hough t."Th is  Sha dowsaved us," she said  finally, "and for tha t I'm  g r atef u l,  butI can't fo r g ive  t he  da ma g ethey' vedone al ready." _I  do n' t need to gi v ehim an exp lan ation_. _Non e o f hisbu sin e ss. W ell , may be iti s—if h e is whoth e y thin k  he is. _ 
" Wher e do they come fr o m? The Shadow Peo ple."
" S am e pla cewe all cam efrom, "  she sa i d. #  CH A PTER FIFTEEN
_"The worl d  ne eds an ge r.T he wor ld of te n  co ntinues toallo w evil be causei t isn't angry e nough. "_**\ - Au t ho rUnk no w n** 
* *"* *  Ki eran, Iwa nt  youto s t a y with  Ca rlos . Heneeds a frien d r ight now ."

" Yes,Moth er -Gene ral. I 've a lr eady decided Iwoul d stay wi thhi m w he rever he goe s—i f h e'll ha ve me." 
"A re n ' t  y ou bitter about wh at h ap pened to  youre ye s? " 

"I hav eeye s no w .  I ca n se e ." 

"Yes,but th e se  e yes don 't  haveyo urusu al sp a rkle , do t hey?"

" So th e y say. Thingsc hange. I'll b e  a l l  r i ght. "
"Sure you w ill. "  The re i s  b itt e rness  in y ou r  v o ice, but I need you ."I kno w. Fo r such a long  time ther e i t seemed  the r ew ere no other O utsid ers like u s  who are  will ing to f ight foro u r freedo m,noTou cha b l es  or Evangelst o  get  i n the w ay— just afew  of  us  tr yi ng to wag e a warag ai ns tthe  Cybe r . Our nu mb ers  a regreat e r now,  butI wo nd er ifthey're gr e a t en ou gh  tomee tMakr' s th r eat ."

"We  are figh tin g  anin vi sible,evolving enem y.  We've alw ay s n eededy o ur stren gth, Mother-General."
" Thank y oufor t hose  kind wor ds,  my de ar. Someti mes it  is s ohar d to be a  l ead er ...and a m o t her . I w or ry a bout ou r people. I worrya bou t my sons."
Kie ranw a spuz z le d . T he Mot h e r-General had t wo sons, a nd on e is dead. Doe sshe not  accept  hisd eath?
"I have l ived outs id e of M akr  for morethan 25years. Ib ore t h re e son s a nd a d au ght er. I  gaveu p o ne so n to h is  fathe r and  t o Makr.I hope one day my other  sonswillcom e back to  me .  Ilet one d ie f oolishly.I s hou ld ne ver haveleth im  fi g ht."Here yes glist e nass h eholds backt h e  te ars
 Not_metal.

_Got to_be fair,_ she thought._"This Shadow_saved_us," she_said_finally, "and for_that I'm grateful,_but I can't forgive_the damage they've_done_already." _I don't need to give him an explanation_. _None of his business. Well,_maybe_it is—if_he_is_who they think he is._

"Where_do they come from? The_Shadow People."

"Same_place we all came from," she said.

# CHAPTER_FIFTEEN

_"The_world needs anger._The world often continues to allow evil because it_isn't angry enough."_ **\- Author Unknown**

**"**_Kieran, I want_you_to_stay with Carlos. He_needs a friend right now."

"Yes, Mother-General._I've already decided I would stay_with him wherever he goes—if he'll have_me."

"Aren't you bitter about what happened_to your eyes?"

"I have eyes_now. I_can see."

"Yes, but these eyes_don't have your_usual sparkle,_do they?"

"So they_say. Things change. I'll be all_right."

"Sure you will."_There is bitterness in your voice,_but_I need you._"I_know._For such_a long time_there_it seemed_there_were no other Outsiders like us_who_are willing to fight for our freedom,_no Touchables or Evangels_to_get in the way—just_a few of us trying_to wage a war against the_Cyber. Our_numbers are_greater now, but I wonder if they're great enough to meet_Makr's threat."

"We are fighting an invisible,_evolving enemy. We've always_needed your_strength,_Mother-General."

"Thank you for_those_kind words,_my dear. Sometimes it is so hard_to be_a leader...and a mother. I worry_about our people. I_worry_about my sons."

Kieran was puzzled. The_Mother-General had two sons, and one_is dead. Does she not_accept_his_death?

"I have lived outside of_Makr for more than 25 years._I bore three_sons and a daughter. I gave up_one_son to his father and to_Makr._I hope one day my other_sons_will_come back to me. I_let one die foolishly. I should_never have let him fight." Her eyes glisten as_she holds back_the tears