Connie could not believe that she was in a car with the cousin of Theresa Jones. Yet there was something that made the whole moment less magical. Maybe it was the fact that Theresa's normally dark brown skin was very pale for her color, or maybe the fact she was shivering and clenching the wheel like it cost her life.

"Theresa, seriously, where are we going?" demanded Cameron. "This is not what I expected when your cousin told me to meet you!"

Connie, Cameron, and Theresa were in Theresa's car and driving to someplace unknown to the other passengers. After Theresa had mysteriously stepped out of the cafe with Connie and Cameron at her heels, she'd gestured for them to get inside her car. It was odd, but Connie trusted her. It had been two minutes since then and Theresa was refusing to answer all of their questions with a shudder in her voice.

"I ... I don't want to say," she told them in response to his question. "I can't even say it."

"Are we in danger?" Connie asked. "Are we going to see something or someone dangerous?"

"Not exactly," Theresa told her. "Please don't ask. I'm trying not to think about it." Her tone made Connie feel a little bit of pity for Theresa, but she wasn't sure why. "Can we talk about something else?"

"No," said Cameron, who was obviously not feeling the pity for her. "I think Connie and I deserve to know what's going on. We're in your car, for goodness' sake! Do you know how much trust that takes?"

"Fine!" Theresa let out a huge breath, so loudly and strongly Connie had to wonder how long she'd been holding it. "This is our destination, anyway." Theresa pulled over the car in the parking lot of what looked like a hospital.

It did look like someone was going to be in danger.

"The Astryl Private Hospital for Extreme Cases?" Cameron asked. "Why'd you take us to APHEC?"

"APHEC is the only place in the city where you can donate U-type blood," Theresa said, shivering with the last word. "I looked at the note, and I'm positive this is what we need to do."

"U-type blood?" Connie asked. "That's not a thing. The only types of blood are A, B, AB, O, and their respective negatives. There's no such thing as 'U'-type blood."

"Yes, there is. And I have it. It's just ... U positive and U negative are blood types white people don't have. They're normal blood types, but only black people have them. That's why you guys have probably never heard of it." Theresa held her hand out. "Give me the note."

Cameron gave it to her and she pointed to the part that said, FIRST, YOU are the perfect type. "FM isn't talking about all of us being the perfect type to recruit to his gang or whatever. He's talking about U being the perfect type of blood he wants us to donate. Maybe it'll unlock something. Or the receipt will have a note on it. Or maybe the person who assists me through the donation will be FM themselves!"

"Fair enough, it's possible," said Connie. "And if we're wrong? You think there might be a consequence for guessing wrong?"

"No way. FM would have to go through every possible way of us guessing it and rig that for an extended amount of time. There's no way anyone would do that, especially if it's 'just in case,' and not a full guarantee.'" Cameron sighed. "So ... your biggest fear is ... donating blood?"

"Needles," she corrected. "It sounds childish, like the fear of a twelve-year-old, but I'm seriously terrified. Don't make jokes," she added when Cameron looked like he was about to crack up. "It's serious. It might even be a phobia, but I guess we have to do this."

Connie nodded. "Let's go get this over with. Don't freak out — you might not even have to donate anything. Maybe just the process of signing up will give us the clue. We are the luckiest people alive right now."

Theresa hung her head. "I get the feeling that we aren't the luckiest people alive. What about this FM guy? Obviously he has some tricks up his sleeve too. We're not the wild card, guys. He is."

Cameron frowned. "Well, shot or not, we need this. I'm really sorry, Theresa, but this is more important than a fear. This is a matter of life going back to normal."

Theresa's brown skin seemed paler somehow, and although the wind froze Connie and Cameron, Theresa was sweating. At the door she tried to shove off her friends' hands and run away, but they'd managed to catch her.

"Theresa, it's just a shot!" Connie said irritatedly.

"Just a shot?" yelled Theresa. "It's more than—"

Theresa's yells were silenced by Cameron pressing his hand over her mouth. "Alright, Theresa, you can relax now... People are starting to stare. You're twenty-four, for God's sake. Not seven."

Cameron removed his hand and Theresa began walking with them to the receptionist in defeat. Connie smiled at the woman behind the desk. "Hi, I'd like to file in a blood donation, how soon can we get that done?"

"Huh, let's see..." The woman flipped through a couple of pages. "Well, you can donate right now!" Theresa paled even more. "Aren't you lucky?"

"The luckiest," Theresa growled. "Connie, I see now why you weren't a fan."

Connie smiled. "Our friend, Theresa Jones, is donating U-type blood. Do you need the form filled out?"

"For U-type blood, no. Any other type would need at least three days prior. You guys really are lucky, aren't you?" The woman grinned at them again. "Okay, in room 202 you'll find Dr. Eric, he's the best for U-type donors. Head over there now, please."

Connie and Cameron hooked their arms into Theresa's and dragged her to a room that read Dr. Eric on the door. Cameron knocked on it and out came a tall and skinny pale man with a large head, large nose, and thick black hair. He wore a tag that read Dr. Eric.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Eric, and I'm going to be performing the process of blood donation. Would you like me to walk you through it first, Ms. Jones?"

Theresa's eyes lit up. "Yes! Yes, I'd love that, and please, take your time."

Connie shot her a look. "No, please hurry it up. We might not have that much time."

"Of course," replied Dr. Eric.

He toured them around the hospital and showed them which rooms and devices they'd be using to support Theresa's blood donation. Then he showed them where exactly they would place Theresa's blood until they could locate someone who needed it.

"This is the U-type blood section?" asked Cameron.

"Yes," Dr. Eric told them. "It's very neat and we'd never—what is that?"

Connie followed his line of sight to a slip of paper hanging around where the freshest blood was. Theresa grinned so wide it could've hung off her face. "C'mon, guys, let's go see."

To steal the Scepter is good enough

But joining forces makes one more tough

Icy flecks unlock the door

Sun will force you out to shore

Mark your spot to save the day

But if you don't a price you'll pay

04/05/20 1615

"What is this?" Connie asked.

"Another note!" said Theresa excitedly. 

Dr. Eric frowned at them. "Another?" He shook his head, ripped the paper off carefully, and handed it to them. "If you leave more of these around here, you'll have to leave."

"No!" Cameron argued. "But we need to—"

"And we don't need your donation, sir," interrupted Dr. Eric. "Thank you for your care, but you'll need to leave."

"Cameron, it's fine," Connie told him. "We have what we need."

They left APHEC, both Theresa and Cameron huddling around Connie so they could all see the note. They squabbled around it like little boys and candy bars.

Theresa frowned. "This one's way more straightforward, even if it doesn't make that much sense. You think that means something?"

"Let's sleep on it," Connie suggested. "I mean, Theresa, you just had the fear of your life. And Cameron probably has to return to his job for a while. We have the meeting at March 30th, so we should be fine if we take a day off."

Theresa nodded. "You take the note."

"I have two eight-year-old siblings!"

"Please?" begged the Jones relatives.

"Fine." Connie brought the note and stuffed it in his pocket. She was dropped off at the Starlight Cafe and ran back home.

Cameron, Connie, and Theresa had done a lot of work today, and had found a new note. Maybe luck wasn't that bad.

But she still found it annoying. Connie didn't expect herself to ever like being so lucky.