Zero to Infinity

The matriarch, spoken to only as Madam, sat in a dark dungeon. Sort of a cave, the only thing man-made were the bars that stood in front of her with a lock and chain. She was hardly in need of such restraint, for madam was more than 960 years old. These age restraints let her on a limited path of shifting. She was unable to fly. So becoming a bird would not help. She was unable to run. So a cheetah or wolf was unlikely. Her bones were brittle and meek as she sat achy in the dark.

“So... Madam... Who’s next.” Gordon snared under his breath as he crept closer to the bars.

“Just go away. Haven’t you done enough? Haven’t you captured plenty of us already? I don’t understand what you think is going to happen by taking all Theorians off of Earth”.

“You. You sneaky, no good, high and mighty, sitting on your mount pioneer. You know nothing of true struggle. So you cheat your way with your earth Theorians. They taint our people. It should be one or the other. Why we are merging with Earth people?”

“That’s your problem Gordon. You never understood our way.”

“Oh, I understood our way just fine. It is My understanding of our way that is prompted me to put a stop to this”

“My men will stop you”

“Yeah okay. Zero got away this time with that little one he just got. But I’ll keep working on it. Give me the names.”

“I will continue to do no such thing.”

“Yes you will,” Gordon said before opening his eyes wide.

“Then with a gesture of his hand, Gordon adjusted his grip and the form of talons. Swooping into her prison and grasping her throat, Gordon looked into her eyes with force. Gordon did not have to shift. For he had been on his own for so long that he had learned to master the art of fear. He could bring out the fear without shifting. Gordon knew how to hit the buttons without actually touching them. While he could shift into anything he wanted. The true power and nature were in the eye of the beholder. So long as he could do what was necessary to incite fear. It didn’t matter what they saw. They would feel and experience the worst torture.

“Please... Gordon”, Madam managed to spit out as he continued to squeeze her neck tighter.

“Don’t play games with me” he snarled.

“I.. I can give you one name”. Choosing a name that she thought Zero would come searching for, she yelled, Margaret. What are you going to do with her? Why do you want them?” She cried knowing she just gave up the name to one of the children.

“Margaret’s interesting. But no, I want everyone’s name. I want all the earth Theorian names. I WILL stop you. I know what you are up to”.

Falling to her feet, the matriarch yelled., “We are up to nothing. What do mean?”

“I know the true purpose. No species needs to become more powerful than every creature in existence. I know you’re games. I studied you.”

Gordon did this to madam for hours. When she could not take it any longer, she burst out in fear of the names of the two other theories she was plagued to keep. Not of her own doing, madam was too weak. Her mind was easily influenced. Madam was on a mission to bring home her next replacement. Her next replacement... being Jenny. Unfortunately due to recent events, Jenny had to come home sooner than later. Only, madam knew she wasn’t ready. But she had hoped that with her partnership and companionship with Zero, she will quickly learn to master her shifting and be set to rule Mount pioneer. However, as she watched the earth children, she knew that Jenny was not ready. And although it was her time to come, her upbringing caused her to have limited maturity. She just was not ready.

Unsure of how to get a message to Zero, she sat in utter disappointment in herself. She didn’t think it was possible at all to come out of this situation alive. She could only hope that Zero would take on the role, bring in Jenny, train her up and have her prepared. She could only hope.