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"So you faked your deaths," Kendra prompted
"Part of it was to explain why Hank would disappear, perhaps for the rest of his life Part of it was to prevent any chance of our enerandchildren The Society does not know Hank and I are married To them, he is Steve Sinclair and I’m Clara Taylor"
"When did you last see Hank?" Grandpa asked
"Three days before he left," Grandma Larsen said
"Around the tie was located, because he didn’t know I had not heard fro all that ti deeper trust with the Society elite," Grandhts for years The Society sees randfather and I decided to insinuate ourselves as deeply into the Society as possible, so we could serve as a last line of defense in a worst-case scenario Good thing we did, since that worst-case scenario is about to transpire"
"How long have you known about the Sphinx?" Warren wondered
"He covers his tracks very well," Grand the Society until last year And I didn’t knoas Captain of the Knights until he was revealed through your efforts"
"How did Vanessa become involved?" Kendra asked
Grandma Larsen exhaled with exasperation "Vanessa found o She had worked with h I had been hts, and I also typically wear awith nized h she kept the secret to herself at the tiot her hands on a home movie of me and Hank with you and Seth That hen she connected irl does her homework," Warren said with admiration
"Vanessa is a very talented operative," Grandma Larsen said "In the past, she has caused rateful that she has defected to our side And we should take every precaution to prevent her froain"
"You don’t trust her?" Grandpa asked
"It would be unwise," Grandma Larsen said "At least not until this crisis has passed"
"But didn’t she bring you here?" Kendra asked
"She has been very helpful," Grandma Larsen said "She has been in contact withsleepers she had previously bitten In fact, it was Vanessa who alerted et free?" Kendra asked
"I watched you use the Oculus"
Kendra furrowed her brow Then she re before she had used the Oculus, a ure had entered the room with Mr Lich The identity of the masked onlooker had never been revealed "You wore a ht Thankfully, I almost always conceal my face when I ith the Society I’ your surprise There was nothing I could do in the moment except hope you survived the Oculus Any action I took would have hopelessly compromised both of us But afterward, I slipped the knapsack and the stingbulb into your rooave"I’ve wondered who helpedin my line of work," Grandma Larsen said "I wish I could have done ave us the best chance for success I was relieved that you were able to do the rest"
"That knapsack wasdestroyed it and trapped him inside," Kendra explained "We used the Translocator to rescue him"
"Then you must know Bubda," Grandma Larsen said
"Both Kendra and I do," Warren said
"Is he all right?" Grandma Larsen asked
"He’s still inside that roouy doesn’t want to leave, but eventually he’ll starve unless we extract hi to leave," Grand chuckle "That hy I left him in there in the first place He loves his hoo, he is extre hihed softly into his fist "We’re beginning to stray How are we on time?"
Grandma Sorenson checked a watch she athered the blankets "Fifteen e of his blanket between his thuer "I know I can speak for all of us when I say we’re shocked and relieved to find you alive, Gloria
I’m sure you have more to tell us You mentioned that Hank contacted you recently"
"Once Hank learned that Scott and Maria were in custody at Living Mirage, he began planning a rescue When Seth showed up there, Hank hastened his efforts"
"Seth’s alive?" Kendra exclaimed "You’re sure?"
"The Sphinx healed him with the Sands of Sanctity," Grande," Kendra muttered "Where is it?"
"Eastern Turkey," Grandma Larsen answered "We have a way in The plan is to recover asour lost family members"
"Tell us et infore The Sphinx’s preserve reuarded secret He derives his io But in recent rown certain of victory, his caution has finally begun to slacken Hank runs the logistics of Living Mirage, and he has built up enough trust that when the Sphinx is absent from the preserve, Hank becomes the de facto caretaker
"In his first co canister, Hank told le us in The day I learned you had recovered the Translocator, I sent word to Hank, journeyed to a predeter ht," Warren said
"Correct His nae Hank sled him out With Tollin and the Translocator, we can penetrate Living Mirage"
"Who else knows about this?" Grandpa asked