​     Meanwhile, Belle Strom did her best to sting Noel with her huge, metallic scorpion tail. Just trying to hurt Noel with him just sitting there not moving drove her crazy with frustration. Then,  ​

​     "Relax," Valtair told her over the com-link. "There's obviously very special about this young man. I need to talk to him." To Noel, through Belle's voice transmitter, he said, "You are a Valid, I assume." 

​     "There are thousands of us."

​     "Yes, I know, but I've never seen ​you before. Your soul weapon is unique to my experience."

     "I assume I am speaking to Valtair."

     "Your assumption is correct. Yet I do not know...no. I've got it now. Noel Armbruster. Twenty four years old. You went blind at the age of..."

     "Let's move on," Noel replied. "This little plan of yours? Your little scheme of making billions of dollars today? Yeah, you know, uh, that's probably not going to happen. We're here to stop you."

     "There is zero chance of that. Those of you who might possibly live through the next hour will consider yourselves lucky. We just spotted the rest of your little group. We'll be sending the Silvers there next."

     "Good. That way we won't have to find you." 

     "Do they have a companion with them, I wonder, an invisible companion? Gramps? Is Gramps with them?" 

     "I don't remember anybody's grandfather being with us, no." As Noel spoke, he very casually reached into his pocket for his phone. He planned to send a special EMERGENCY! WATCH OUT! signal to Estelle and the others. He went to thumb-punch Estelle's number in when,

     "Pull your hand out of your pocket, please," Valtair requested. "He's back, isn't he? Adam Forwarder. He's with you, isn't he? He's weakened. He's crippled." A pause, as if Valtalir was trying to figure something out. Then, 

     "He's trying to get to the generator, isn't he? He's trying to get to Domitika. He's going to try and repair himself there. It's true, isn't it? Your body language tells me that what I'm saying is true."

     "If you say so," Noel replied.  

     The Silver Scorpion flew away then. Both Silvers did. Noel got right on his phone.

​     "Estelle!" he barked. "They're coming right at you!"

END OF CHAPTER SEVEN

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