Jordan clings to Summer as firmly as she did on the flight down. And Summer’s holding on just as tightly, a worried look on her face.
The two alight at the Amari house. Jordan fetches the hidden key, unlocks the door, and rushes right to the phone. She dials her mom’s number.
When mom answers, Jordan explains the real situation. By which is meant: “Summer took me to Disney World. Only it wasn’t really Summer, it was Queen Infinity who was a ghost that took over Summer an’ made her do stuff, an’ Summer an’ I are back home now an’ she says you should come talk to her 'cause it’s urgent.”
Mom and dad confer and agree to return home, and Jordan gives Summer a thumbs-up.
Jordan doesn’t think Summer’s version of the story is that accurate. It doesn’t mention the important princess business that was going on, for one thing. But mom and dad seem to take it more seriously than her version.
Princesses have it rough.
“While we were waiting, I tried to contact Charlotte Palmer,” Summer explains. “Doctor Infinity is a very capable individual, and the Magus’ power is one of the few things that’s been shown to counter it. But I haven’t been able to reach her.”
Jordan speaks up. “She said not to feel guilty, dad. She said she was gonna go do stuff and it’d make people worry. She said um, it was too late to fix her, but she was broken. It sounded like a pretty big goodbye.”
Nassir nods. He returns his attention to Summer. “You did the best you could, and you did the right thing bringing her back to us and telling us about this. I think for right now–”
He’s interrupted when Jordan glitches for the first time. First she’s regular size, and then she’s Summer sized again. Her clothes are different, but fit her new size. She’s not Princess Peri, not really, but about that big.
“Jordan?” Nassir breathes.
“It’s still me, dad. I didn’t transform, honest! It just kinda did this on its own!”
Mr. Amari’s gaze falls squarely on Summer.
“I don’t know either, sir, but I know someone who might help.”
In the room above Has Beans, Lucius examines Jordan closely. She glitched once more on the drive over, and now looks around 12 years old - along with yet another change of clothes.
“Time and dimensional travel is not strictly my specialty,” he explains to Nassir in an apologetic tone. “But I think I understand what’s happening.”
The old knight gestures to Jordan. “Based on her story, it seems Doctor Infinity is making use of her exposure to other times and worlds. Imagine, hmm, imagine Infinity is climbing a mountain, using a rope to secure herself during the climb. The rope is anchored to something, yes? If she falls, there’s sudden tension on that anchor point. Mr. Amari, your daughter is that anchor. I believe that these glitches in time are indicative of active, and disruptive, time travel. Whatever this villain is doing, she must be stopped.”
“HCPD isn’t equipped with a time machine,” Nassir counters. “What are our options?”
Lucius turns his eyes back to Summer. “Traditionally, the most successful foe of Doctor Infinity has been the Magus.”
They find Charlotte in her pose of meditation.
Jordan, having glitched back to 7 again, shakes her head. “She’s not here.”
“Jordan, she’s sitting right here,” Nassir points out.
“What do you mean, sweetie?” Summer asks.
“There! There’s a thread, goin’… goin’… somewheres.” Jordan points with her finger, making loop-de-loops into empty space. “She’s on the other end of that.”
Nassir looks helplessly at Summer.
“No, no, I think that means she’s… um, like astrally projected?” The girl is guessing, but with the scope of things she’s experienced, almost any guess here has a chance of being accurate.
“She’s stuck,” Jordan announces, peering closely at nothing. “She can’t come back.”
Summer takes this in with a frown. “She’s the Magus, but she’s also a ghost. Well, sort of. Mr. Amari, I may need to um, ‘lean on’ someone. Is that the phrase? Can I ask you to support me? They should be able to help.”
“You said that before,” Nassir remarks darkly. Nevertheless, he nods after a moment’s thought. What else is there to do, but chase this thing to the end?
Ghostheart is reaching for their coffee mug at Mater Luna when Summer takes hold of it instead. As she sits down across from the demonologist, she gulps down the hot concoction in a single shot.
“Summer Newman,” nods Ghostheart.
“I think I’ve been very nice in our past interactions,” Summer begins. “In spite of that you’ve been kind of a scumbag, and you’ve hurt friends of mine. So you and I are going to leave this place. You are going to tip the baristas on your way out, because they work hard. We’re going to get in a car and we’re going to go somewhere.”
“If I refuse?”
Summer glances at the cup still in her hand. “Well, I could crush this but I don’t want to make work for the staff here. So just pretend I crushed it into powder. Then imagine me doing that to your bones.”
Ghostheart tut-tuts. “You’re very bad at this.”
The girl grabs Ghostheart’s collar with her free hand. “I’m running out of patience with your attitude.”
“Fine, fine.”
Ghostheart takes in the scene of Charlotte meditating, while the others watch.
“She’s astrally projecting,” they announce at last.
Summer silently gloats, just a little bit, while Nassir nods. “My daughter says she is ‘stuck’. Can you get her back?”
“Not without my equipment,” Ghostheart answers, glancing at Nassir. “But I’m not likely to call in my associates without some assurance that I’ll walk away from this a free person.”
Nassir shrugs. “I’m here as a father, not a cop. Of course, I think you should worry more about the young lady here.”
Summer glares, but her tone is civil. “If you keep your word to help us, I’m not going to stop you running away after it’s settled. But working for Rook Industries is pretty bad in my book. So as far as I’m concerned, you’re always on thin ice, pal.”
Iconoclast and Facet are called in. Summer recognizes the former, and there’s a brief bit of tension while Ghostheart negotiates with their accomplices. But at the end of it, Ghostheart retrieves some items from Charlotte’s chambers (under Summer’s strict supervision, and with a promise to return them). And the group heads outside, to where the ghost-fishing van is parked.
Fortunately, they’re already in a cemetery. Ghostheart explains the basics of the system, interrupted only once as Jordan glitches to age 17. Nobody tries to explain this part, and nobody asks, so the conversation awkwardly returns to the mechanics of ghost-fishing.
“Charlotte is unlikely to trust me,” Ghostheart says in closing. “It would be better if someone like Summer were to go.”
Nassir silently draws a revolver from his pocket.
The three supervillains pause. Ghostheart holds their hands forward. “I assure you, sir, that will not be necessary. I’ve given my word, and my associates will be similarly cooperative.”
The revolver goes back in, but Nassir’s hand stays there too. His other hand stays protectively wrapped around Jordan’s.
Ghostheart places the items they took inside the van, around the apparatus, and gets Summer into the harness.
“I don’t guarantee this will work,” they say finally. “The relics should guide you to her - but you may be unable to bring her back. Just do your best - and don’t let fear take hold of you. You will see some frightful things in the depths of the underworld.”
“I’ve seen some pretty awful things in this world,” she growls back at him. “Don’t be one of them. This time.”
Ghostheart rolls their eyes, but nods in understanding. “Alright. System on.”
The ghost-fishing apparatus in the van warms up, and the hatch slides open. Nassir and Jordan watch as Summer descends into the non-physical space below. As she vanishes from sight, Jordan squeezes her father’s hand extra tight.
