One of the Paik twins handed the electronic tablet over to Abdul Malik to view. Abdul looked at it for a minute before saying anything.
"That's right. He said to go to the Night Willow Temple if I changed my mind."
Teddy now has a good understanding of what's going on.
He said, "I'll take the job Mr Malik."
Abdul excitedly said, "Wonderful!"
He shook Teddy's hand with tears rolling down his face. He finally has hope that his problem will be solved.
"Like I said Mr Wilson, one million per spirit. However what I did tell you was that's just the bonus."
He handed Teddy a black bank card.
"There's ten million on this card. This is your pay just for accepting the job."
Abdul could see that Teddy wanted to refuse.
"It's yours Mr Wilson. The account is even in your name."
Teddy knew that he couldn't reject this so he took the card and placed it in his pocket.
He smiled and said, "Thank you Mr Malik."
Abdul nodded and took his leave. Once he and the Paik twins was gone, Teddy turned towards Mirella and Seraphine to talk.
"I don't expect you two to go with me. Mr Malik hired me to do this job, I'll leave it up to you two if you want to help."
Mirella huffed as she yelled, "After your dangerous stunt two nights ago, if you think we're just going to let you go alone, you have another thing coming mister!"
The way Mirella just scolded Teddy let him know that the two women were still mad at him. He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.
Seraphine added, "You're still in the dog house after that stunt. So don't think you're going to do something as reckless this time around. Or we'll sin you alive."
Though Seraphine was talking in a metaphor, Teddy could really see the ladies skin him alive. He vowed to himself never to make them this mad again. Now whether he can keep this vow, only time will tell.
"I'm sorry for making you two worry so much. I just needed to test my new skill out and wasn't sure if it would work. If not I had planned on to lightning teleport out of harms way. There's no way it could follow me if it can't sense me."
The two ladies shook their heads. Teddy really didn't know much about the Spectre. Once it got a good lock on you, there's no escape.
The only reason why he was able to escape the first time was the Undertaker Spectre hadn't been able to get a good feeling for him. It only had a generalized feeling and that was it.
It went to the area where it knew Teddy's energy was but hadn't located him yet. That was the big difference.
The ladies figured they could feel him in another time. Right now they had a job to do.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Inside Abdul Malik's car:
"Well did he agree?"
A man sat across from Abdul had sent him in to negotiate a deal with Teddy.
This man had a scare that went from his right side of his forehead down to his right eyeball then it continued below his right eyeball and ended on his right cheek.
Abdul was nervous. Sweat rolled down his forehead. This man scared him to his core.
"Yes sir. He took the job."
"Good. I'm interested to see if he can handle the job."
Abdul Malik was confused over this whole situation.
"Sir, I mean not disrespectful but."
The unknown man said, "Go on Abdul."
Abdul gulped as he continued saying, "But why go through all this trouble? If you want him dead, we can just kill him. If you want to recruit him, then we could just come out and offer him an alliance. Why this test?"
The unknown man just chuckled.
"You have built yourself a small empire with your business and yet you know so little. Don't worry Abdul. All will come out in due time."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Back in the apartment:
Teddy was looking out the window was Abdul entered the car. He could feel something off about the car but couldn't quite understand what it was.
Seraphine walked up to him and put her arms around his waist.
"Don't worry about him honey. The three of us will get the job done together."
Teddy looked into her eyes and said, "I know. But I can't shake a feeling like there's more to this than what meets the eye."
Mirella nodded her head.
"Definitely. He wanted to tell us something but couldn't. It was like he knew he'd be I hot water if he told."
Teddy nodded his head. He had stumbled into something. However he didn't know what it was.
"We need to look into this Abdul Malik a little deeper. Will the Moonlight Glade have information on him?"
Both women nodded with Seraphine saying, "They would. However most of the information might be in the archives and we'd need special clearance to see them."
Teddy figured as much but he still needed to try.
"We'll head there tomorrow. Seraphine and Mirella, pack to stay a few days.
Both women nodded in understanding.
The next day, Teddy, Mirella, and Seraphine arrived at a temple complex in the middle of the countryside.
The temple complex was made up of a large building in the center surrounded by smaller buildings and a stone wall enclosing the whole complex. A sign hung over the temple entrance saying Moonlight Glade Temple.
This temple was the one that Seraphine and Mirella had called home for years. A middle aged woman stood at the entrance.
"Sister Mirella, Sister Seraphine, welcome back. May you always be a light in the middle of the night."
The sisters bowed and repeated the same phrase back. Then Seraphine spoke up introducing Teddy.
"Mother Thalindra, this is Theodore Wilson, Teddy for short. You were correct. It was a man that had caused the breakthrough."
Thalindra Moonshadow looked at Teddy.
She nodded before saying, "So, you two have become his partner. That means he has accepted the terms our alliance. That's good."
Teddy, confused said, "I don't mean any disrespect, but I really don't know much about an alliance with your sect."
Thalindra turned and looked at the two women disappointingly. She shook her head.
"You two went ahead and bounded yourselves to this man without terms?"
Mirella replied, "Mother Thalindra, we could explain that it was warm and alliance between him and our sect. I am sorry to report we did not explain what that alliance entails."
Thalindra said, "I see."
Then she turned towards Teddy and said, "The alliance requires you to agree that any daughters you may have with these two will be sent to us to be part of our sect when they come of age."
Teddy's eyes grew big. He could not believe what this shameless woman just said to him.
"Well ma'am, I doubt that you can hold me to that since no agreement like that was made."
This insulin man. So he expects Thalindra to allow this arrangement to continue that Teddy has with Mirella and Seraphine and not have him compensate the sect for it?
How could he be so shameless. He has accepted two members of the Moonlight Glade as his cultivation partners. In Thalindra's eyes, it's only right that he gives back to the sect.
"Either you accept the terms of this alliance or I will take back my disciples."
Teddy stared at her with anger in his eyes.
"No one threatens me and gets away with it. That includes you. I don't care if you were their master, you will show me the respect I deserve."
Thalindra was outraged.
"What about the respect I am owed?"
Teddy responded angrily, "I owe you nothing. They came to me. You sent them to me. I didn't see you out. Don't play games with me. Unless you want to challenge me."
Thalindra studied him thoroughly. She wanted to put him in his place but something told her that he was much more powerful than she was.
"What stage are you at?"
Teddy just started to laugh.
"You think you deserve to know what stage I am at?"
This confirmed Thalindra's suspicions. He was for sure at the ascended stage. His realm was much higher than hers. She could not afford to offend him.
"Well Theodore, I must inform you that there will be no alliance between you and my sect. I will not take Mirella and Seraphine from you but they will be expelled if they stay."
Mirella and Seraphine could not believe their ears. All these years they thought that Thalindra and the Moonlight Glade were honorable. Here they were just sexist.
They viewed themselves better than men. That is why it takes so long to reach the leadership roles of the set.
You must view things they way they do or else you will not advance in rank. That explains why the sisters were still just acolytes of the sect. Despite being some of the most powerful and knowledgeable in the sect.