Are you real worlders mad? 'Cause you can bet that I sure was, and unless you are one of those who is easily offended over the littlest things, you have every right to be angry. I would not be surprised if Libby became the worst character. Worse than Ava.

"Um, Libby?" Kathy spoke up. "If you do not mind me asking...why are you supporting Mary Sue's plan? I mean, I know why. You just told us. But Mary Sue is mentally ill."

Libby adjusted her glasses. "I am fully aware that she is mentally ill and totally agree that she needs help. But..."

"But what?" I said. "Are you willing to listen to a teenage girl who is okay with allowing millions to die?"

"Well, when you put it that way, you make me sound crazy."

"Duh! 'Cause it is evil!"

"Hmm..." She walked around the table until she was standing in front of it, and Kathy and I took a couple steps back. "...let us say that you two girls are going down the sidewalk and minding your own business. Out of the blue, a man who is stronger than both of you appears."

Kathy smiled and nudged me. "As if anybody could be stronger than our Cassandra."

I would have laughed or at least giggled if I was not ticked.

The scientist glared at my partner and took in a deep breath. "As I said, a stronger man jumps in front of you and attacks. He wraps his fingers around Kathy and chokes her. You, Cassandra, have a weapon on you. A gun. What do you do?"

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Easy. I would pull out my gun and shoot him."

"Excellent. And would you call that murder? Or defending you and your friend?"

"It would be for defense. Anyone with wisdom would know that."

"Good answer." She leaned against the table. "That is what Mary Sue and I are precisely doing."

"I am not following," Kathy admitted.

The loudspeaker hanging on the ceiling and in a corner of the room came on, and someone spoke.

"Libby? We have two girls who are here to see you."

"Who are they?" Libby asked.

"They go by the names of...Wendow...and Triso."

"Ah, yes. Wendow and Triso. Let them in."

"Are you not going to explain to me and Kathy the connection between defense and the Final War...oh. Now that I say it out loud, I understand where you are coming from."

"You understand that the Final War needs to happen in order to protect the fictional characters?"

"Yeah, but what I do not get is why all real worlders need to go for that to occur."

Just then, the three of us heard hinges on a door squeaking. Kathy and I turned our heads to the lab entrance, and Wendow and Triso entered. They were wearing red hats and waving red flags.

"There had better be no writing on those hats and flags," I muttered to myself.

"Cassandra! Kathy!" the aliens exclaimed in unison.

"Glad to see you two here," Triso said. "My sister and I set up an appointment with Libby."

"I hope that everything is okay with you two," my partner commented.

"Everything is fine," Wendow reassured her. "Even better now that the Final War has ignited."

"You know about the Final War too?" I said.

"Did I forget to mention that Wendow and Triso are supporting the Final War as well?" Libby stated.

"What?!"

Wendow squealed and hopped up and down. "I cannot believe that this is happening!"

I frowned at her. "I cannot believe that you are excited for innocent people to die."

"Real worlders are not innocent. None of them are," Triso argued. "They are racist and easily offended."

"Not all of them are like that! What about our fans?"

The aliens glanced at each other, and then back at me. "There are real worlders who actually like this book series?" they said at the same time.

Kathy facepalmed. "Who else did you think that was reading the books?"

"I thought that all real worlders hated them," Wendow admitted.

"I thought that all real worlders hated our writer," Triso confessed.

As soon as she mentioned our lovely writer, I snapped my fingers and bolted for the door.

"Where are you going, Cassandra?" Libby wondered.

"I am going to visit our writer and see what she thinks of the real worlders and this Final War!"

I smiled as I hurried out of the agency. Ash loves you guys. I should know. She is nice, kind, and understandable.