Parvenu: [4.2] Nevermore

"You brought down the protectorate! It's just like in my vision!" Archdruid Highley bellowed.

Agent Roberts was still marvelling at the 'alien' landscape that had just appeared before them. Although he had seen it before, then it had been almost like a dream. Now he was confronted with it right in front of him, in the real world.

"I brought you here to fix the protectorate, not to destroy it!" Archdruid Highley ranted.

"I'll take care of this. You guys get started on the barrier upgrades." Agent Roberts told Mr. Hansen and the boys.

"Let the druids know that they can begin their blessing at any time." Mr. Hansen said quietly as he fought to catch his breath.

"I'll tell them." Agent Roberts assured him before walking away.

* * * * *

"You were supposed to save them!" Archdruid Highley screamed as he saw Agent Roberts approaching.

"Do you guys really need him to do the blessing? Because if you don't, I think I could probably knock him out with one punch. I bet it would make things a whole lot easier for all of us." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"As much fun as it might be, he is the Archdruid. He's devoted his life... blah, blah, blah... he deserves to be a part of this." Emilio said with an unenthusiastic roll of his eyes.

"Do you think you can calm him down so that we can speak reasonably?" Agent Roberts asked hopefully.

"Getting Jarvis to calm down and speak reasonably is a challenge on a good day, but we can try." Emilio assured him.

"You DESTROYED the protectorate! You were supposed to save it!" Archdruid Highley ranted.

"We didn't destroy it! We just shut it down for maintenance! We'll turn it back on as soon as we're finished!" Agent Roberts barked, taken back to his military training for just a moment.

"So everything's going to plan?" Den asked cautiously, obviously uncertain of Agent Roberts' willingness to entertain further questions.

Agent Roberts looked at him and his hard expression eased as he said, "Yes. They're working on the barrier improvements right now. All that's left to be started is the blessing."

"Jarvis. Snap out of it. If you can't pull yourself together, we'll put Jud in charge and he's going to lead the blessing." Emilio said firmly.

"No! Don't do that! I'll do it!" Archdruid Highley said suddenly, then quickly added, "I need to tell Milo and Jen what we'll be doing. Just a second. I'll be right back."

Agent Roberts, Emilio and Den watched as he hurried away.

"He's always been especially competitive with Jud." Emilio said as an aside.

"He's a spoiled little five-year-old brat who always wants to be the center of attention." Den grumbled.

"That's a bit harsh." Emilio said disapprovingly.

"Yeah. You need to apologise to five year olds." Agent Roberts said with a grin.

"That settles it Shawn. We're going to make you an honorary brother." Den laughed.

"You've got my vote." Emilio said simply.

* * * * *

"We won't be able to do the blessing from the outside. Once I open the protectorate, each of us will need to go to the major holy sites of the land to pronounce our blessings." Archdruid Highley said as he rushed back to his brothers.

"We know what to do. Just open it and tell us where we're going." Den said seriously.

"Why don't you go to the crystal grotto? Emilio can go to the eternal well, Jud can go to the steps of ascension, Cyrus can go to the King's Sanctuary and I'll go to the shrine of light." Archdruid Highley said authoritatively.

"Nope. You get the King's Sanctuary." Cyrus said immediately, then explained, "You're the keeper. You need to be the one to deal with the royals."

"I just thought it would be better for you since you don't like heights." Archdruid Highley explained.

"I like the royals even less." Cyrus said frankly.

"How about this..." Emilio interrupted. "Cyrus, you take the well, I'll get the shrine and Jarvis can get the royals. Does that work for everyone?"

When no one objected, Emilio turned to Jarvis and said, "Open it up so we can get this done."

Archdruid Highley hurried toward the protectorate as Agent Roberts asked, "Isn't it already open?"

"Try to enter it." Emilio said simply.

"Can you just tell me what's going on?"

"Even though the protectorate is here in our space, it still has a boundary that we can't cross. Jarvis has to let us in."

"Is he the only one who can?"

"Dad can open it. I don't know of anyone else alive who has been granted the gift." Den said, then looked to his brothers for confirmation.

"What would you do if something happened to Jarvis? How would you get in?"

"We'd have to call upon the angels and ask them to choose another keeper." Emilio said frankly.

"There he goes." Cyrus said and pointed.

Agent Roberts followed his pointing finger and saw Archdruid Highley going through the ritual to open the barrier.

"He'll be ready in a minute so we need to get ready to go." Emilio said unenthusiastically, then added, "We'll be back as soon as we've blessed this thing."

"Are you sure you're in the right frame of mind to be performing a blessing?" Agent Roberts asked carefully.

"It's just a spell. If you have the power and do the thing, then the thing you want happens. It's all about as holy as my left butt cheek, but if you do everything that you're supposed to, the magic works." Emilio explained.

"If that's the case, then what's with the robes and incense and all of that?" Agent Roberts asked with genuine interest.

"Sometimes it makes things easier to if you can visualize what your doing. The rest is to put on a show. Most of the real magic that we do isn't that flashy. When you go through the ritual and do all the steps, little if anything actually happens that you can see." Den said frankly.

"You're not going to keep butts in the seats unless you give them a little razzle dazzle." Jud interjected.

"It's open. We've got to go." Emilio said to the group.

"Keep yourself safe, Shawn. If the Nephilim decide that they want to take a peek at the outside world, things could get interesting out here." Jud warned him.

"I will. Thanks guys." Agent Roberts promised, then watched as the four brothers headed toward the archway, where Archdruid Highley was waiting for them.

* * * * *

"I take it that the blessing is underway." Mr. Hansen said as Agent Roberts approached.

"It's going to be a few minutes for them to get into position. I guess that there are sacred sites throughout the protectorate and they need to go to them before they can perform their rituals."

"Yes. That would stand to reason." Mr. Hansen confirmed distractedly.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Zanner's performing an assessment of the obstructive barrier that was just revealed. I think you can help us most by keeping us from being interrupted or distracted while we work. Once we're in the thick of our spellcasting, we're going to need to be able to concentrate so that we can see it through to the end. We're going to try to do this in one go."

"Okay. Just be sure to let me know if there's anything more that I can do."

"If you'll do that much, I believe that everything will be alright."

"That's good to hear."

* * * * *

Agent Roberts looked around to assess the situation and finally decided to see if Milo and Jen needed any help containing Archdruid Highley's enthusiastic followers, who had probably just become 'true believers' in the past few minutes.

"How are things going over here?" Agent Roberts asked as he approached.

"I already gave it back. What more do you want from me?" Milo asked as he backed away.

Although Agent Roberts wanted Milo to take him seriously, it disturbed him to see the man terrified of him.

"I was just checking to see if you and Jen needed any help over here." Agent Roberts said reasonably.

"These are our people. We can take care of them." Milo said, trying to sound assertive, and missing the mark by quite a bit.

"Under normal circumstances I would agree with you. But with all these amazing things going on, I could see someone being overcome with religious fervor. With emotions running this high, someone could overload." Agent Roberts explained.

"If that happened, Jen could just send them to their 'happy place' for a while to calm them down." Milo responded cautiously.

Agent Roberts got the sense that Milo's answer might be a first cautious step toward trust.

"Okay. If you say that you've got this under control, I'll take you at your word."

Milo was surprised by the announcement, but finally said, "Thanks."

"Just let me know if there's anything I can do to help you." Agent Roberts offered, to further demonstrate that, at least in some regard, they were on the same side of things.

Milo nervously glanced downward, then took an awkward step to the right.

Agent Roberts looked down and saw that his shadow was just a little bit darker than it had any right to be and it seemed to be distorted beyond what the environmental factors would dictate.

In short, it appeared as though his shadow was straining to try and reach Milo.

"I don't know anything about shadows. If you'll tell me what's going on, maybe it's something I can help you with." Agent Roberts said honestly.

"I think your shadow feels empowered by being back with you. Since I accidentally hurt it, it wants to hurt me in return." Milo said as he shifted again to avoid coming into contact with Agent Roberts' shadow.

"Could it really hurt you?" Agent Roberts asked curiously.

"Yes. You've filled it with so much power that it can overcome the boundaries that usually keep shadows contained." Milo said grimly.

"It's never given me any problem before. Is this just happening now because you separated it from me?" Agent Roberts asked curiously.

"There's a lot that's not known about the shadows. The only communication we have with them is empathic and that's inaccurate at its best." Milo said frankly.

"But what about my shadow? It's never had a problem before. So isn't this entirely your fault for breaking it away from me?"

"Listen, my father is a fairy, I mean literally, not in the derogatory way."

"I know what you mean."

"Good. Thanks for not making a joke of it." Milo said sincerely, then continued, "Even though I was born looking human, I inherited some of my dad's fairy magic. Since I grew up and lived in the human world, my dad didn't have a lot of opportunities to teach me all about everything."

"So you knew what was supposed to happen when you took my shadow, but it didn't end up turning out that way." Agent Roberts guessed.

"Like I said, your shadow is unusually powerful. I was surprised when I found out just how powerful it was. In fact, I had to take extra steps to protect myself from it. When I did that, I triggered a self-defense mechanism in it or awakened it or something like that. I really don't know exactly how it all works."

"So you did cause it to happen." Agent Roberts said firmly.

"I responded to it being more powerful than expected, then it responded to my response. So yes, in that way I caused it." Milo carefully explained.

"But you're still saying that even though you caused it, somehow it's still not really your fault?" Agent Roberts asked curiously.

"I'm saying that there wasn't any reason to believe that stealing your shadow would cause any harm to you or it... or me."

"Did it hurt you?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"No. At least, it didn't cause me an injury. What it did would be considered more of a violation." Milo said uncomfortably.

"Unless you really feel the need to share what happened, I'm just as happy to take you at your word on that and move on."

"Thank you." Milo said sincerely, then continued, "But what I was trying to say is that no one could have predicted that your shadow would be capable of functioning at such a high level. The truth of the matter is I'm relieved that it's been returned to you. It could actually be quite dangerous if it had escaped from me."

"Dangerous? How could a shadow even survive on its own?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"In dark corners and spaces, mostly out of sight. When a shadow becomes displaced like that, they're usually referred to as shadow demons. And while they aren't literal demons, they can be terrifying and dangerous."

"We've gotten off track. What can you tell me about the state my shadow is in now?"

"He's bound to you again, which is his natural state. Not only is he unable to break free from you, but I seriously doubt that he would want to. As to his reaction to me... he seems to have retained some ability to think and act independently. That will probably fade as time goes on."

"How sure are you of that?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"About as sure as I was that taking your shadow from you wouldn't cause a problem." Milo said frankly.

"So, you don't know." Agent Roberts asked slowly.

"I know what's supposed to happen, but when it comes to your shadow, that doesn't seem to mean a whole lot."

A sudden flurry of gasps and hushed whispers drew Agent Roberts and Milo's attention.

They followed the fascinated gazes of the congregation to a lone figure walking out of the protectorate.

"I guess it's time for me to earn my pay for the week." Agent Roberts said as he released the snap on his holster and took hold of his gun.

"If I had any magical attacks, I'd offer to help you." Milo said weakly.

"Help me by keeping these people back here and under control." Agent Roberts said as he started walking toward the archway of the protectorate.

* * * * *

As Agent Roberts approached the solitary figure, he could tell that something was off about it. While he could get faint glimpses of what might be thought of as a classic angel, complete with a glowing halo and wings, what he saw beneath was a grotesque monster, seven feet tall and thin to the point of almost being skeletal. Although, if it had been of average height and weight, it would still be distinguishable by the abundance of arms at its sides, fanned out to support the illusion of wings.

"I'm sorry but I'm afraid that I can't allow you to go any further." Agent Roberts said once he was within earshot.

The strange being cocked its head at an odd angle, then began speaking in a grunting series of noises that sounded nothing like any spoken language Agent Roberts had ever heard.

Before he could formulate what to do about their apparent communication impasse, he suddenly realized that he could almost understand what the creature was saying.

He certainly wasn't making sense out of the guttural and, quite frankly, disgusting sounds. On some internal level there was an awareness of whispered words also being spoken, although not audibly. Somewhere between the two failed methods of communication, Agent Roberts could begin to get a sense of what the being was trying to convey.

Suddenly, it all began to make sense to him. Thanks to the amulet that he had been given, he wasn't seeing what the being wanted him to see. Likewise, he wasn't hearing what he was intended to hear. Apparently, by way of magic or telepathy, the creature could make other beings see itself as it wished to be seen and make itself understood.

"Sorry. Your magic doesn't work on me. You don't have to put on an act. I can see what you really are." Agent Roberts said frankly.

As the creature spoke, Agent Roberts began to get the thoughts and concepts that the creature was trying to convey through the combination of grunts and whispered speech.

"Yes. I can sort of understand you. I don't know what your real name is, but it's translating to mean something like 'the child of the sword'. Would you mind if I called you 'Reaper'?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

The being seemed not only agreeable, but downright happy with Agent Roberts' choice of name.

"Good. I'm Agent Roberts. Now, as I was saying, you can't be out here. Not only is this place not safe for you, but it's also possible that you could be a threat to the people who live here."

Reaper grunted and gurgled a little, trying to explain the reason for the trip outside.

"I suppose that's true. And besides, if all goes as planned, you probably won't get another chance."

Reaper grunted one small phrase, then waited.

"There's no way that I'm going to allow you to explore the outside world on your own, but I would be honored to escort you and introduce you to the natives. Just remember, that you aren't allowed to eat them or take any of them home with you. Leave them as you found them." Agent Roberts said with a smile.

Reaper happily agreed.

Agent Roberts extended an elbow in Reaper's direction and felt as it set two or three hands on his elbow, to be formally escorted.

* * * * *

As they slowly walked back toward where the others were waiting, Agent Roberts said, "The only people I met while I was visiting the protectorate before were Marklah and Linnaeus."

Reaper grunted a quick response.

"I don't think there's a direct translation for what you just said, but I think you said that Len was your demi-brother, or your brother once removed. I'm not sure how that works, but he seemed like a nice enough person when we met him. Very friendly."

Reaper laughed, then grunted something which Agent Roberts took to mean 'close enough'.

* * * * *

"Milo, I'd like to introduce you to Reaper. We've decided that since we have the opportunity, I'll introduce Reaper around. When this is all over, Reaper will be able to go back to the protectorate and tell everyone what it's like out here." Agent Roberts said pleasantly.

Reaper grunted something that made Agent Roberts have to consider for a moment.

"Calling Milo my friend might be a bit of a stretch, but I don't want to kill him anymore. Is that close enough?" Agent Roberts asked thoughtfully.

Reaper grunted again and Agent Roberts smiled at the response.

"Can you understand him?" Milo asked curiously.

"More or less." Agent Roberts responded, then turned to Reaper and asked, "Can you speak to Milo so that he can understand you?"

Reaper grunted a response, then faced Milo and carefully said, "To speak to one requires me to attune to that mind. Your demi-friend is kind enough to meet me halfway."

"It looks to me like our vocabularies don't match up very well, so Reaper's concepts don't always translate directly into something that we can understand." Agent Roberts explained.

Reaper grunted while looking at the congregation gathered behind Milo, looking on in awe.

Agent Roberts looked at Reaper to see what image was being projected toward them.

Reaper had taken on a 'male' persona and appeared to be a more human looking version of itself. All in all, 'he' looked freakishly tall and thin, almost to the point of not being physically possible in the real world. While his face appeared to be pleasant enough, he also looked somewhat drawn.

"Come on over here and I'll introduce you to Jen." Agent Roberts said with a smile.

Reaper grunted something that made Agent Roberts suddenly laugh.

"No. I already told you that you can't eat any of them, not even Milo."

Reaper gave a snort and a grunt in response.

"Naw. He'd probably be stringy." Agent Roberts said as they walked, then added, "And I bet that he'd give you gas."

Reaper's laugh was a strange sound, which was saying something considering the 'normal' sounds that Reaper made.

* * * * *

"Jen, I'd like for you to meet Reaper." Agent Roberts said as they approached.

"No. She's not what she appears to be." Jen said as she spread her arms and motioned for the people behind her to back away.

Agent Roberts glanced at Reaper to find that 'she' had indeed taken on female attributes.

"It's okay Jen. This is just how she can meet people without freaking them out. They might be afraid or even run away if they saw her true form." Agent Roberts explained.

"If you could see through her illusion, you wouldn't be acting so calm around her." Jen said challengingly.

"I've seen through her illusion from the beginning. I've determined that she's a person of good will. To be honest, I'd trust Reaper a lot farther than I'd trust you."

"Is this one also you're demi-friend?" Reaper asked slowly, obviously so that Jen could understand.

"Once removed." Agent Roberts responded, then explained, "At this point in time, we share a common goal, which is to improve your protectorate so that you won't have to worry about being discovered."

"This one, can see like Reaper, can do like Reaper. At the core, at the center, we are sisters." Reaper said slowly, mostly to Jen.

Agent Roberts saw the shiver of revulsion in Jen and couldn't help but smile.

"Come with me and I'll introduce you to my team... that is, if they're available. They're working on the protectorate right now, so if they're busy, we might have to leave them alone."

Reaper let out a grunt of agreement to the arrangement.

Although Agent Roberts couldn't say that he quite understood everything about Reaper, he wasn't worried about what he didn't understand. He felt that Reaper was seeing what needed to be seen and that when Reaper returned to the Protectorate, it would be a benefit to all of them.

* * * * *

"Dag? Are you at a point where I can interrupt you for a minute?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"Actually, yes. This has turned out to be quite a bit larger than originally anticipated. There's no way that we're going to be able to complete our work in one session. I've just withdrawn for a few minutes to collect myself before formulating some more realistic plans."

"Reaper, I'd like to introduce you to someone who actually is my friend. This is Dag Hansen, he's a teacher and one of the people responsible for improving the protectorate." Agent Roberts said pleasantly.

"Pleasure, it is to be meeting." Reaper said slowly and respectfully.

"What... Who?..." Dag stammered in confusion.

"Reaper is one of the Nephilim who decided to take a peek at the outside world before the protectorate is closed off again."

"As I understand the properties of the protectorate, one who leaves it loses the protections enjoyed inside. Please, be very careful. It's likely that you will be fully mortal while you're out here."

"I give thanks for concern." Reaper said slowly.

"Please enjoy your visit. I hope that it will meet your expectations." Mr. Hansen said with a genuine smile.

"Expectations surpassed with meeting friend." Reaper assured him.

"Do you think there's any possibility for Reaper to meet Zanner and Dex?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

Mr. Hansen looked at the boys for a long moment, then slowly said, "I think they're almost at a good breaking point. If you'll wait for a moment, I believe that they will both appreciate the diversion."

"You don't mind, do you?" Agent Roberts asked curiously.

Reaper's grunted response took a moment for Agent Roberts to translate. But he finally responded by saying, "Dex and Zanner are young of our kind, but they're not mine or Mr. Hansen's. We've been given responsibility to watch over them and instruct them in how to renovate a barrier."

Reaper grunted inquisitively.

"Zanner is a witch, if I'm understanding the use of the terminology correctly, he would be considered an Earth Mage. Dex is what is known as an Oriad." Agent Roberts explained.

Reaper considered for a moment, then carefully asked, "The mountain spirit of Earth is given flesh in this place?"

"I really don't know any more about it than what I've told you. I'm a human and I just met these people a few days ago. If you have a question, you might ask Dex about it yourself."

"Reaper, I'd like for you to meet Zanner and Dex." Mr. Hansen said happily as he led the two boys.

"Honor. Respect." Reaper said slowly.

Although Zanner seemed to be speechless, Dex was able to quietly ask, "Are you a Nephilim?"

"That's right. Your magic won't work on Dex either. He won't be able to see or hear what you want him to." Agent Roberts explained.

"Reaper can borrow common language." Reaper said slowly, then looked to Dex and continued, "My people... have been called many things... that is among the more pleasant. Thank you."

"My mother is a witch and my father is a human. So in a way, we're the same. We each came from parents who are completely different from what we are." Dex explained happily.

"We are called monsters..." Reaper began to explain, but was interrupted.

"If I called you a duck, would that make you a duck?" Zanner challenged. "Would you have to waddle and quack, just because I called you that?"

"I have not seen the creature that you speak of, but I get the imagery from you. No, I will not become a duck if you call me such." Reaper slowly admitted.

"I'm just learning what I am. I thought I knew before, but it was all just words." Dex said quietly.

"Even if your parents had both been exactly like you, you'd still be yourself. No one gets to decide what that means but you." Zanner said firmly.

"But it helps if you're around people who see you as being something good." Dex said as he glanced at Agent Roberts, then added, "Maybe even a little better than you see yourself."

"So young. Such wisdom. You will do well." Reaper said slowly and respectfully.

"Naw. We'll probably find some way to screw it up." Zanner said with a grin, then added, "But we won't let that keep us down. We've got some pretty good examples to follow and people to go to for help when we need it."

"More wisdom." Reaper said warmly.

"I'm going to take Reaper back to the protectorate now, so you guys can get back to work." Agent Roberts said with a smile.

"Don't worry, Reaper. We're going to fix it so that you and your people can be safe for a long time." Zanner said confidently.

"I will tell others. We will be secure." Reaper assured him, then added, "Be well young friends."

"You too." Zanner called after them.

* * * * *

After a few minutes of walking, Reaper quietly said, "You know who I am."

"I know some of it, but not everything." Agent Roberts admitted.

"Tell me of what you know."

"You can go back to your real language if you like, I think I understand it better even if I don't always have the right words to express the concepts that you're using."

Reaper grunted a response, to which Agent Roberts grinned.

"What I know about you is kind of like how your language comes to me. I get phrases and complete trains of thought, but due to the differences in language structure or something, those concepts don't always translate directly into words. I get the sense that you're someone important... dangerous... but not malicious. You're a kind hearted person who is doing what you believe is right, even though you're taking a risk by doing so." Agent Roberts said thoughtfully.

Reaper gave a short grunt to prompt him to continue.

"I get the feeling that the next time the angels come to visit, that you're going to report what you observed, not just about the 'keeper' but also about those who helped him to improve and reinforce the barrier." Agent Roberts said speculatively.

After a long silent moment of walking, Reaper grunted in acknowledgement.

"Let me be honest with you. What the angels think of us doesn't concern me in the slightest. It may be of some importance to Archdruid Highley or his brothers, but my stake in all of this is to see that all the people who don't have a say in what's happening end up better off rather than worse. That's it. There's no 'higher power' compelling me to help one group over another. I don't see my people being the humans, but rather everyone who will be impacted by the decisions made by those with power."

Reaper let loose a single grunt of a question, filled with meaning.

"Because no matter how I look at it, it's the right thing to do. The Wudewas, the Brynns, the Nephilim, the residents of Waxell and even those idiots who follow Archdruid Highley need someone to watch out for them. They're not in a position to protect themselves... I am. So I will."

As they arrived at the archway of the protectorate, Reaper stopped, then said in a slow, respectful voice, "Would that I could join you on your mission. I find it to be worthy."

"You have your own mission. We all do... that is, if we have the courage to acknowledge what's in front of us and commit to doing something about it." Agent Roberts said with conviction.

"We, of the protectorate, look upon the angels as not only our parents, but as our betters. They are pure and we are defiled."

"They're people who made choices. If you take the time to think about why your people exist, you'll probably realize that you're not the ones who were defiled. You're just the byproduct."

"We are told not to interrogate the motives of our betters. We cannot judge them by our standards of right and wrong."

"Well, isn't that convenient? They can do whatever they want for any or no reason and you're not allowed to even question it? I think that maybe they don't want you to ask questions because the answers would make them look quite a bit less 'pure'."

"Perhaps."

"Your language is getting a lot better. Does that mean that you're becoming more attuned to my mind?" Agent Roberts asked curiously.

"Yes. I find it increasingly easy to formulate my thoughts into terms that are familiar to you." Reaper agreed.

"This makes conversation easier, but I feel like I got to know you better when you were using your own language and I was just getting the unfiltered meanings. The words are like boxes and when you trim your concepts to fit into those boxes, something is lost."

"Likewise. I feel that I have gotten to know more about you in what you haven't said than what you have."

"I guess it's time for you to go back now. I'm glad that you were able to come out for a visit."

"Yes. As am I. It was a rare opportunity, the memory of which I will cherish."

"So will I. Be well, Reaper, Child of the Sword."

"Be well, Agent Roberts, advocate for those with no voice."

Agent Roberts was surprised by the title, but decided to wear it proudly.

As Reaper turned to walk into the protectorate, Agent Roberts quietly added, "My friends call me Shawn."

"Be well, Shawn." Reaper said before continuing on.

To Be Continued...

Editor's Notes: Now that is a beautiful ending for a chapter.

They learned to communicate. That is a good thing.

I am glad that Reaper gave Jen a good scare, without actually hurting her. Maybe she will take a lesson from him/her. Grin.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher.