I, Anastasia Marie, was faced with a decision: to get a million dollars or have the chance to become the most powerful person alive. If I had the money I wouldn't have to be homeless, but if I was powerful I could make sure no one was homeless. I could make the world a balanced and better place. I could find my parents. A thought shocked me to the core, my parents could be in this very room. Madly, I looked away from the voucher and to the people surrounding us. It was stupid, but I hoped that'd I'd somehow recognize them. Dan's jumping up and down calmed me. I may not know who in the room were directly related to me but right now I was with Dan and Amy as they'd been the most welcoming.

Dan was enthusiastic, extroverted, and energetic while Amy was shy, introverted, and anxious but together they had a welcoming and warm feeling that I had only felt once in my lifetime. Cold and dangerous was all I've known since the age of five.

"I could get a ninja sword," Dan's voice pulled me out of it, "or a Civil war saber!"

The thought sparked a couple of my own wants. I am a history nerd, although the revolutionary war was my favorite, but my decision couldn't be based on materialistic desires.

"Dan, shut up," Amy said. "This is serious."
"But the money -"
"I know," she said. "But if we took the money, we'd need to keep it for college and stuff. You know how Aunt Beatrice is."

No, I did not know how Aunt Beatrice is, I was spared that hell for a different kind hell. Amy and Dan got to go to school, probably public, while I was mostly self taught. Amy and Dan got to think past what tomorrow would bring. Amy and Dan didn't have to worry about cops, truancy agents, and particularly friendly, stubborn, old ladies named Florence who believe it was God's will for them to give you a place to stay. Being honest, I was jealous of Dan and Amy. They had each other which was a hell of a lot more than I had.

"Okay," Dan said slowly. "So I'll spend my million on my collection. You can spend yours on college. And everybody's happy."
That wasn't the case as arguments swallowed the room. The Holts were doing some weird exercise. A girl was holding apart two siblings. Twitchy Russian was talking Russian to a kid who could only speak gangster. No one cared about this Grace.

"You'll decline the challenge, of course."

I turned to see the Kabra demons standing side by side. They were dark skinned, amber eyed, and dressed to the nines. The boy was maybe fourteen, a year younger than her, whilst the girl possibly eleven.

'I would be sad if something happened to you," the boy purred. "And you so need the money."

The girl mocked surprise. "That's right, Ian! They're poor. I keep forgetting. It seems so odd we're related, doesn't it?"

Amy blushed in embarrassment. I blushed in anger, "Yes, it is odd that your related, it'd be much more believable if you two were related to the Holt's dog."

Amy and Dan looked at me in surprise. Ian finally took notice in my presence while his sister glared at me.

"And who might you be?" Ian asked.

"Your worst nightmare."

"My worst nightmare is really ugly," he smirked.

"I'm sorry but I'm not a mirror."

"Obviously, mirrors are useful," Ian's voice rose.

"Please stop speaking, every time you open your trap my brain cells commit suicide one by one," I said stepping closer.

"I'm surprised you had brain cells in the first place."

"I'm surprise you're alive seeing the unfathomable amount of times your nannies dropped you."

"Clearly, you were tossed in the air, hit by the ceiling fan, and sailed out the window." Ian responded.

"Sailed? Funny, I don't remember being a sailor," I smirked back.

Dan, clearly wanting to be part of this, responded to the related jab that occurred a minute ago," Maybe we're not related! Maybe your aliens, because real kids don't dress like bankers and fly around on they're Daddy's private jet."

Ian rolled his eyes, "Yes, very well. Amy, Dan, have a wonderful life with that money, and never think about us again." He turned to me, "And you -"

"Anastasia Marie"

"- know you have made a very powerful enemy."

"I have many enemies, you're certainly not the most powerful on the list, oh yeah," I pulled out the wallet someone dropped back in New York and threw at him, "this is yours."

Confused, he looked at it's contents then looked at me incredulously before being dragged into the crowd by his sister.

"How did you get his wallet?" Amy asked.

"Same way as he was born, by accident," I responded wittingly. "They must have detoured to New York and he dropped it there."

Amy turned to her brother, "They're taking the challenge."

"Well, duh!" Dan said. "What's another two million dollars to them. They can afford to give it up."
"They don't want us involved."
"They want the treasure, I wonder what it is," Dan mused.
"Does it matter? We can't look for it. We barely have enough for bus passes."

I barely have enough for food, I can't look for it.

"Too bad," Dan grumbled, "I'd love to wipe the smiles off the Cobras' faces. . ."

Just then a fire breathing dragon stacked the siblings. Not true, their Aunt Beatrice did, which is worse. "You two will do nothing ridiculous! U fully intend to take my million dollars and you will do the same! Never fear, I'll put it in an account for you until you're adults. I'll only spend the interest. In return, I will allow you to continue as my wards."

Amy made a choking sound. "You. . . you'll allow us to be your wards? You'll allow us to give you our two million dollars?"

You go, Amy. Get 'er.

"Watch your place, young lady!" Beatrice warned. "Do the responsible thing or else!"

"Or else what?" Dan asked innocently.

Beatrice mirrored a tomato, "Or else, you little upstart, I will disown you and leave you to Social Services. You will be penniless orphans, and I'll make sure no Cahill ever helps you again! This whole business is absurd. You'll take the money and wash your hands of my sister's ridiculous scheme of finding the -"

She stopped abruptly and my interest peaked.

"Finding the what?" Dan asked.

"Never you mind," Beatrice snipped. Was she scared? "Just make the right choice, or you will never have any my support again!"

With that, she huffed off. Amy and Dan looked at each other, perhaps, having some weird sibling telepathy. Mr. McIntyre rang a little bell. Slowly, the wrangling and arguing in the Great Hall died down. The assembly took their seats.

"It is time," Mr. McIntyre said. "I must warn you that once the choice is made, there is no turning back. No changing minds."

"Wait a moment, William," Alistair Oh said. "This isn't fair. We know almost nothing about the challenge. How are we to judge whether it is worth the gamble?"

Mr. McIntyre pursed his lips. "I am limited in what I can say, sir. You know that the Cahill family is very large . . . very old. It has many branches. Some of you, until today, did not even realize you were Cahills. But as Madam Grace said in her video address, this family has been instrumental in shaping human civilization. Some of the most important figures in history have in fact been Cahills."

Excited murmurs filled the room, voicing my confusing, my excitement, and my sudden, prickling fear.

"Historical figures?" Mr. Holt bellowed. "Like who?"

Mr. McIntyre cleared his throat. "Sir, you would be hard-pressed to name a major historical figure in the last few centuries who was not a member of this family."

"Abraham Lincoln," Ingrid shouted put. "Eleanor Roosevelt."

"Yes," Mr. McIntyre answered quickly, "and yes."

A stunned silence fell across the room like a blanket.

"Harry Houdini!" Madison Holt shouted.

"Lewis and Clark!" her sister, Reagan, mirrored.

"Yes, yes, and yes," Mr. McIntyre said.

"Oh, come on!" Mr. Holt called. "That's impossible!"

"I agree!" José added. "You're putting us on, McIntyre."

"I am completely serious," the old man assured. "And yet, all the previous accomplishments of the Cahill clan are nothing compared to the challenge that now faces you. It is time for you to discover the greatest secret of the Cahill's, to become the most powerful members of the family in history - or to die trying."

An uneasiness settled over me like a storm cloud. My ambitions and hopes told me that this could be my ticket out of the world I knew. Self doubt held me in a noose. One foul step could be my last. If I didn't take the challenge, what'd be next? I don't have a place to keep the money, or the means to get it. It was useless to me.

"Embarking on this quest," McIntyre continued, "will lead you to the treasure. But only one of you will attain it. One individual or team will find the treasure. I can tell you no more. I do not, myself, know where the chase will lead. I can only start you on the path, monitor your progress, and provide some small measure of guidance. Now - who will choose first?"

Beatrice leapt up. "This is ridiculous. Any of you who play this silly game are fools. I'll take the money!"

Mr. McIntyre nodded. "As you wish, madam. As soon as you leave this room, the numbers on your voucher will become active. You may withdraw your money from the Royal Bank of Scotland at your leisure. Who's next?"

Several more stood up and took the money. Jose. Ingrid. A dozen others Amy never told me about. Every single one took the green voucher and ran.

"We accept the challenge," Ian announced. "We will work as a team of two. Give us the clue."

"Very well", Mr. McIntyre said. "Your vouchers, please."

The demon children rose and gracefully approached the table. McIntyre took out a silver cigarette lighter and burned the two million dollars. In return, they were given a manila envelope sealed with red wax. "Your first clue. You may not read it until instructed to do so. You, Ian and Natalie Kabra, will be Team One."

"Hey!" Mr. Holt interjected. "Our whole family's taking the challenge! We want to be Team One."

"We're number one! the Holt kids started chanting, and the pitbull leaped into the air barking along.

McIntyre raised his hand for silence. "Very well, Mr. Holt. Your family's vouchers, please. You shall be Team . . . uh, you shall be a team."

They made the trade - five million for a clue, and the Holts didn't care. They marched to their chairs, one of the twins bumping Amy in the shoulder. "No pain, no gain, wimp!"

I glared at her as she sat down in her seat.

The Korean dude struggled to his feet. "Oh, very well. I can't resist a good riddle. I suppose you may call me Team Three."

The triplets, star-something, rushed forward. All three vouchers went to the table and were incinerated.

"Da," Titchy Russian spoke. "I, also, shall play this game. I work alone."

"Hey, yo, wait up." Familiar Gangster - Wannabe sauntered. "Hand me this clue, homes."

"We'd like to film the contest," an older man, presumably his father, said. "I could talk to the studios about a percentage split -"

"No," McIntyre insisted. "This is not for entertainment, sir. This is a matter of life and death."

McIntyre looked around and looked in our general direction, mostly at Amy. "Who else? Now is the time to chose."

We were the last ones. Most of the forty ran off with the money. Six teams took the challenge - all older or richer or more seemingly likely to succeed. Beatrice glared at Dan and Amy, reminding me that I had to decide for myself. Anxiety pushed and pulled within me. The faces of everyone to every doubt me or pity me, or even insult me filtered through my head. Face after face. Maybe they were right, I couldn't do anything by myself.

But then there was Dan and Amy, her first friends. And Mrs. Hamilton, the person she missed the most, she believed in her. She took a street rat like me and taught me to read and write, she let me stay in secret at the library she worked at. She never doubted me.

I peered at the brother and sister next to me. "What's your answer.'

They looked at me with mirroring smiles. I smiled back. Together, walked to the desk and Amy picked up the lighter.

"We're in," she told him, and sent three million dollars up in smoke.

Word count: 2163

Done! I'm a Janus, what about you? My card code is P72MHKW6XP. Comment yours.