I have put the money I received for selling Terra's devices to good use and I have started my own investigation/security firm. Right now, it is only me but I am in the process of hiring an assistant. This first job was a cast off from my former boss, but at least it gets my name out there.

I was hired to locate a missing persons, a daughter that was supposed to come home from college and didn't. Much like my boss, I think she is still here in the city partying with her friends, but if anyone in the area has any information just send me a PM.

I hope things will go well. It will be a lot easier now that I do not have to explain every choice I make. It helps that I already have a few clients lined up. Some of it is simple research for my author friend, but it will help pay the bills.

Looking for the her this weekend has been a mostly fruitless effort. Most of the people she associated with are out of town for the holiday weekend.

I got my reports on credit card activity and they are all blank. She has not used a credit card in the last week, and the last place she used one was at a coffee shoppe in the university district. I am going out this morning to start making my rounds to all the places the Ms. McKain was known to hang out. I am also meeting with a few of her friends that have not left the area. Hopefully I will get a lead on what happened to her.

I've just spent a frustrating morning talking to the leads I have. So far everyone has not seen Ms. McKain for the last week. They all said that she was supposed to leave about that time and just assumed that she did.

I have two more places to check out this afternoon, hopefully I will find something there. Otherwise, I am going to reach a dead end.

Had a very interesting lunch just now. I was sitting at the table I am still at, minding my own business working online trying to get a few other items in order. All of a sudden I notice that I am not by myself anymore.

"If you seek the girl, you are looking in the wrong places. Find John Chevero and you will get the answers you need."

When I looked up from my screen the person I noticed out of the corner of my eye was gone. I am going to check out the final two places, but that was certainly an odd experience.

try area 51.

Just finished up at the first place. It was a shop that specialized in Native American goods. The store owner had seen Ms. McKain in the store a week ago, but not since. As I was getting ready to leave, my friend appeared again.

"Time grows short, you need to find John Chevero. He will help you find the girl."

She was gone as soon as I turned in the direction of the voice. I am skipping the last stop on my list and starting to search for this Chevero.

Chevero runs an organic farm out in the Little Washington area. I called him after locating his name in the phone book. I head out there early in the morning to talk with him.

Edit: My mind must have been on other things, I put in the wrong location for the farm.

I met with Mr. Chevero this morning, and when I say morning it was 3 am. The drive to Little Washington was quiet and I remembered the trips through the town to get to the summer camp I attended as a kid. When I finally arrived at the farm, he was waiting for me.

"Mr. Dreyson, I believe that you have the talent needed to save Ms. McKain. Come inside and I will explain in more detail."

What followed was quite an adventure.

"Let me tell you about myself. I am a dream walker Mr. Dreyson. I am one of the last of my tribe that is able to enter into the dreaming world and see into the hearts of people."

He paused to see if I would refute what he said. When I remained silent he continued.

"Good, I was correct in my guiding you to me. As I have said I am one of the last of my tribe with this talent, and to avoid the gift being lost for all times I have decided to teach those outside of the tribe that are able to learn. Ms. McKain was the second student I taught. However, she attempted to do more than what she was ready for and has gotten herself stuck in the world of dreams."

"If you can do the same, why did you not just go after her?" The question made him look uncomfortable at first.

"As I said, she was my second student. My first was a young man, who was very talented. My training him was a mistake because his spirit was not good. I realized this too late however, and taught him enough that he was able to figure out the rest."

"He became infatuated with Ms. McKain. I am afraid that he has trapped her in a dreamworld of his creation. If I was to go in, he would recognize me and possibly hurt Ms. McKain. If someone else that he did not know enters the stream, they might be able to act as one of the dream figures and be undetected."

"What does this have to do with me. I cannot do anything like that."

"You have a smaller version of the gift hidden within you. It would take too long for it to be trained, but I have a talisman that will provide the same effect. All it would take is you to make her aware that she is caught in a dream and she would be able to force her way out and back to the waking world."

"The question is are you willing to take the risk involved to bring her back?"

After a few seconds, the thought of the cash I was paid to find their girl came to mind. I didn't like where this was headed, but so be it. In for a penny, in for a pound they say. I agreed to do it.

Chevero led me to a room in his house. It was very plain, with only a bed in the part of it. The windows had been boarded over and before he turned on the light switch on the wall, it was pitch black.

"I use this to help those who have difficulty crossing over. Not being able to see the waking world helps guide them into the one of dreams."

I nodded and move into the room. He had me put a small talisman around my neck.

"Once you go to sleep, the talisman will take you to the world of dreams. I will meet and guide you to the edge of the place you need to go. Remember that where you go is but a dream. Your gifts will work in the dream world, much better than they do in the waking one. Now, sleep and I will see you there shortly."

With that, he left me in the darkness.

It took, well I am not sure how long it took, but eventually I managed to doze off. When I opened my eyes I was in this bright place. I couldn't figure out where the light was coming from and then I saw these orbs around me. I was starting to reach for one when Chevero spoke.

"Don't touch anything."

I froze in my steps, and even then I had to will myself away from the orb since it was trying to approach me. We spent the next few hours or what felt like hours training me on the basics of where we were at. When that was finished I was fairly cofident in my ability to move around the place, and I thought I understood the rules I would be bound to.

It was then that Chevero led me to the orb that was needed. He then handed me a sword, it was made of dreamstuff he said and could not be destroyed easily. He gave me parting words of caution and then opened the orb for me and I entered.

Hope you didn't lose that sword, Dark... It's the stuff dreams are made of.

No I didn't lose the sword, I understood the gift I was being given. With it, I was able to always at least defend myself somewhat from the creatures that roam our dreams.

I entered into the bubble and found myself in a much changed reality. I was standing on a street in a city that looked like the stuff of comic books. Everything was dark and gothic in appearance. I looked down at myself and saw that I was dress similarly. The sword, like promised had become a necklace until it was needed.

As I started towards the largest building, which seemed to be in the center of everything. I noticed how the landscape shifted and most of the area seemed to be unsteady, shifting from one appearance to the next. The people around me were the same, their faces never quite having features nor their clothes. It was like walking among shadows of what people should be.

As I approached the building, this effect became less noticeable, but even there the environment shimmered and shifted in minor ways. A street lamp became a post office box only to become a lamp again. The entire experience was strange but somehow captivating at the same time.

The place was guarded, at least at the entrance I saw. However, I remembered again that this was but a dream. Dreams could be manipulated. It took a little bit of time, I guess I had to convince my mind that it was possible, but eventually my feet slowly left the ground.

I continued to rise until I manged to get to the top of the building next to the one I needed in. I looked across and saw that there were windows I could break my way into. However, once I started there would be no way for my presence to not be known.

I took a deep breath and lept towards the window.

My willpower carried me to the window and the sword I was given took care of it. The room I entered was not what I expected. Instead of being within an office, I found myself in a castle. The window I came through an arrow slit. The torches on the wall burned blue and I could hear the sound of people running up the stairs.

I took off in the opposite direction. She should be at the highest point is what Chevero told me. Hopefully I would get through this without fighting.

I was mistaken about the fighting. I rounded a corner and the stairs opened up to a level floor. There wre guards at the top. The first one didn't even see the sword coming, his back was turned to me. The second took a little more work, but my training in fencing came through for me.

I picked up their daggers and added them to my belt, and picked up the crossbow the first was carrying slung over his back. I put it on the same way. The stairs had a trapdoor over it so I closed and bolted it. To make it harder to open I pulled the two bodies over it. Then I was off on the run again.

The stairs took me on up to a door. It was unlocked and when I stepped through it, I found myself in yet another world. This time it was a island with a huge mountain in the middle. Around me was an endless ocean surrounded by fog. I must say that it was very disorienting and it took me a second to realize once again it was all just a dream.

I started towards the mountain, figuring if it was the highest point it must be the place she would be at. After getting to the point where I could not see the beach anymore, I heard the natives calling out. The first spear that went past me got me running once again.

I had to kill three of them as I made my was to and up the mountain. It cost me one of the daggers to manage it. When I started climbing the mountain, the path led into a cave. The cave turned into a tunnel and then finally I found myself on the roof of the building.

There was a man standing there with a woman. She was chained and caged, while the man was looking at me. The fire that came from his eyes caught me off guard and I had to remind myself it was just a dream. The flames died a foot before me.

I returned the favor with the bolt from the crossbow. It made it halfway to him before it turned into a bird that flew away. The dagger did the same. The man smiled and said, "I don't have time to play with you but I will leave you a friend."

It was as he was fading away that Slater stepped out of the shadows towards me.

I was a little confused when I saw him, but it was all a dream. I raised my sword and prepared to fight with him. As he approached I felt a rage building up in me. This was the scum that caused so many of my friends death. He was responsible for so much suffering in my life. I vaguely remember thinking the bastard would pay just before I charged him.

The battle was furious. I don't remember much of it as all I could think was that Slater had to die. I was hit a few times, but my anger gave me strength and I pressed on until he was cut down. When he turned into some twisted creature I mutilated it until there was nothing left. Then I turned towards the cage, seething with fury that it was not the real Slater.

Someone would pay for it....

I started towards the cage. I remember little more than the anger that was in me, and what I tell you now was explained by another. The blade hit the cage, but didn't not do anything to it. The girl inside shrieked and backed away from me. I tried again and again to break the bars, screaming without making sense.

After the a few more futile attempts, I changed from trying to break the bars to trying to skewer the person inside. The attempts were not successful either. The blade went into the cage, but go through it. It just disappeared at the bars. I screamed, hit and kicked for quite some time apparently until I collapsed onto the ground.

When I awoke, Chevero was there and I found myself back in the room. He smiled at me and told me I did a good job. It was only then that I realized that a young woman was standing with him.

"Ms. McKain?"

She nodded. I proceeded to tell her who I was and what I needed from her. I handed her my phone and she made the phone call.

"Once I saw that my student had ran, I was able to enter the dream. But it took me a while to catch up to you two. Once I removed the talisman you were sent back to here."

I slowly stood up, I found that the cuts I received in the other world followed me back to the waking. I looked at Chevero in confusion.

"Had I told you the true risk, you would not have done it. The talisman doesn't just let your mind enter the world of dreams, but sends your body into it. There are those that it is a gift for them to do it, but you are not one of those people. You belong in the waking world I fear."

I couldn't help but fully agree with that statement. I thanked him for his help. When I went outside I was surprised to see that it was still early in the day. I felt like I had been in the dream for hours, but only one had passed here.

Anyways, I got the fee for finding Ms. McKain. Looks like the first job was a success.

I don't know if I can teach it, but the talisman will allow anyone to enter the world of dreams. I can get you the information for contacting Chevero if you are interested.

Just be aware it was a very odd and dangerous place.

Yea some one needs to board up Sasha's dreamscape. Beware of Dog just does not cover it.

He may not be the only one who should have a NO ENTRY sign on his Dream Pool.

Just the Asshole who doesn't read.