The N.A.E. is in the process of a hush scandel. A man was reported to have been killed from falling off a building while several "peacekeepers" were present. When asked what actually happened Ezekiel steps forward and tells the truth. [It is a plesent day in Quebec, the French breakoff province of Canada which has been seperate for fifty years. The peacekeepers are visiting on their ambassator tour, while supporting Quebec's fiftyth anniversery as a seperate nation. The teens are shown all the various attractions of the countryside and towns throughout the union. The sun falls warm on the teens faces and the smell of pine and grapes ripening in vinyards fills the air as the bus approaches a 18th Century Mansion set up on a great hill with magnificently kept gardens and fruit trees covering the grounds. Surronding the estate, people are in full swing harvesting the rippened grapes that will soon be made into a fine whine. The bus stops and the guides call for them to exit the bus. The eleven teens and there four security personel get up and step off the bus and look up to the massive structure that dwarfs them with it's four stories and numerous rooms of Victorian/Greek influenced arciticture. The tour guide turns to the teens and starts rambling off the information and history of the house. The peacekeepers are only somewhat attentive, a strong anxiety in in the air as they think off all that has happened recently what and what is surely still to come. The tour leads them through the many large and lavish rooms and great halls with more apparent wealth than one might ever imagine possible by a single family. As the tour progresses Tempo gets an uneasy feeling in her gut. She senses something is wrong here. Tempo has a vision of a man falling from the roof of a building. The guide leads the teens and accompaning Security up the stairs to the roof top to show the veiw of the estate and nearby vineyards. Union, Ezel, Fire, Polo, and Rhythm go over to the north side of the roof to look out while the others stay back and sit for a while and enjoy the sight, sounds, and smells passively. The tour guide points over toward the wine houses and states all the history and facts about its production capibilities. The passage to the roof balcony opens and several servents and the house owners come to meet and greet the peacekeepers.]

Owner
Welcome to Greysteel Maynor. [The owner shakes the teens hands.] It is a pleasure to have you here!!

Polo
Your home and vineyard are beautiful, sir.

[Ezel turns and focuses on one of the vineyard keepers when she hears the sound of a blade slidng into place as the man reaches under his unseasonably warm coat. Quickly before Ezel was even sure of the sound the man strikes out in a fast knife wheeling run toward Union and Polo who are facing away as are the four security guards at the moment. Crystal and Anoki too far away to do anything see that knife and yell out as the man gets close to Polo and Union. Ezel reacts quickly and pushes the man out of Polo and Union's path and the man runs into the rail so hard he tips over and falls off the roof, down four stories and onto a brick patio below landing on his head and breaking his neck.]

*********

[On the ground below. Equinox tries to administer first aid to the man, who is bleeding from the protruding bones in his neck. Rythm helps him.]

Union(to owner)
Did you call for an ambulance?

[The owner nods. The peacekeepers gather around the body and watch. Equinox and Rhythm become soaked in blood.]

Ezel
Will he live?

Equinox (looking to Rhythm)
It was an aweful high fall...I don't know!

Rhythm
He is hurt very badly!

Utopia
He'll be very lucky to live that fall.

Ezel
Don't condem the man, he isn't dead.... Anoki
Yet!

Ezel(becoming teary eyed)
He was about to stab Polo and Union.

[Crystal looks back to Ezel and feels paralyzed to do anything for her sister but soon manages to break free and holds her.]

[Emergency personnel come immediately and the man is rushed to a near by hospital in critical condition but dies in transport.] *****************

[When the peacekeepers learn back at the hotel that the man has died they become somber. Only thirty or so minutes later a call comes over the Television Phone from the N.A.E. head, General Dera Domnique, he is a normally friendly older man but, is very stern at this moment.]

General Domnique
I received word several minutes ago that Ezekiel of P.E.A.C.E. pushed a man off the rooftop of Peirre De Frences Mansion and he died. Is this correct?

Union
Yes

[Ezel rises and asks to speak.]

Ezel
I only pushed him to keep him from killing Union and Polo. I never intended him to fall!

[The General is silent for a moment]

General Domnique
....While it may have been in defense the N.A.E. is shocked by this action. How do you expect to prove to the World Court that his intention was to kill?

Rhythm
Why must she prove intent, the intent was obvious. The man, Jean Ralph McMillian intented to kill someone, or else he wouldn't have pulled out a large knife and raced at Union and Polo with it

General
Well, don't worry about any of that, The N.A.E. has put into motion a silence order to all that witnessed the attack. No one will know that this incident ever happened and you may resume your tour...I understand that your next stop is Mexico City.

[Polo is ready to say something but the General speaks first]

(booms loudly) ...Say nothing more about this to anyone, not even amoung yourselves, IS THAT UNDERSTOOD!!(with a vein throbbing on his forhead.)

[The teens all back down and nod. The General ends the transmission. The peacekeepers get up and look to each other shocked by what they were just told. Ezel, who is already a very sensitive person gets tears in her eyes. Fire reaches for her hand and holds it tightly in his own. He looks into her teary, glowing dark green eyes with his soft, deep blue eyes and reaches forward to give her a hug. Fire whispers to Ezel that it will be okay.]

** Chapter Two **