Bette looked at Tina and nodded. “She’s right.”

“So, here’s my plan and I know it will work,” Alice said confidently. “I call it Operation GROVE. Getting Rid Of Vicious Enemies. Get it? Grove, as in oak grove?” she looked at her friends expectantly. When they didn’t say anything, she sighed and continued. “One day you will appreciate my genius. Anyway, I’ll pretend to leave the house and park my car a few blocks away. I’ll walk back dressed just like Tina and pretend to be her. We are very similar in height and build and I’m a natural-born actress. My skills are impeccable. Helace won’t know what hit them.”

“Helace?” Bette frowned.

“Or Candena, whatever ship name is catchier,” Alice grinned. “Near the midnight you two are going to separate. Tina, you move closer to the house and hide. I will take your place as a decoy and lure Helena back to the oaks. If I’m right, Candace is going to jump with Bette. Helena will try to keep you in her sight, to make sure you won’t go anywhere. In the dark everything will look blurry and all we need is for Candace to jump and take Helena with her.”

Tina shook her head, “It’s doable but it’s very risky, Al.”

“I know it’s risky,” Alice nodded. “If Helena thinks I’m Tina, she won’t let anything happen to me but Bette will be in the most dangerous position.” She turned to Bette and added, “I will do my best to lure Helena to the right spot since I know where you have to be to go through the portal. You just make sure stay away from the path as soon as you see Helena. We let Candace stupidity and ignorance do the rest.”

Tina looked at Bette and took her hand again. “I hope it works, honey. I can’t lose you, not now…not ever.”

“It will work, Tee,” Bette said with confidence. “There’s nothing that would keep us apart. Nothing.”

Place: The Porter Mansion

Time: Thursday, October 19, 2006 near midnight

Alice made a big spectacle of her leaving, in case someone was watching closely. As soon as Alice drove away, Bette and Tina got dressed in dark clothes with cloaks and hoodies over their heads and went outside, keeping themselves hidden in the shadows as they talked quietly. “You think Alice would make back here in time?” Tina asked anxiously.