Simon flipped through the pages of yet another book from the store shelves as Kelly typed away at her computer. It seemed to him like months he'd been looking for the same two things: more information about the ‘Protector/Destroyer’ lore and any information that could lead to discovering who Delaware’s real parents were.

“You do realize this is pointless, right? We’ve been through all of this information several times already. It’s not getting any newer every time we open the same books.” Simon said as he looked up at Kelly. He was saying what had been on both of their minds for the last two days.

“I know it’s getting frustrating, Simon, but we promised Delaware we’d look.” Kelly said, not even stopping to look up from her monitor.

Simon closed his book as he let out a big sigh. “We’re not going to find his parents. We can’t even find proof of his birth. It’s like he came out of nowhere.”

Kelly sat back in her chair and broke her concentration from the monitor to look across at Simon. “He didn’t appear out of thin air, Simon.” she said sharply. “We need to investigate his past…for him and for us. Anything we find out about him may shed some light on what’s been going on lately.”

“Have you talked with him about that?” Simon asked.

“Not yet. He’s been in a bit of a funk lately. And we haven’t been exactly helping with our lack of ability to track down his birth parents,” she said, feeling a bit guilty.

“Well, the way I see it, there’s one of two possibilities:” Simon said as he put his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair.

“I can’t wait to hear this” Kelly said with a smile. “Tell me, Mr. Holmes, what are your two possibilities?”

“One, Delaware isn’t his real name. That would explain why we can’t find a birth certificate for him,” he said, knowing he was pointing out something they had already discussed at the beginning of the search.

“And two?”

“Two: He could be the Protector. And…maybe he wasn’t birthed but rather…created.” Simon picked up another book and began scanning it.

“Created? Simon, you know as well as I do that the Protector is a title handed down through bloodline. We’ve read the same books” she said, shaking her head.

“I didn’t say these were the ONLY two possibilities,” Simon said with a smirk. ”Just the two I think are most plausible.”

“I think we can put the theory of ‘Delaware being created’ to rest.” Kelly said as she looked back towards her monitor. “He’s said himself he has memories of his parents, they’re just faint. And as far as his name, I think that was verified in the writings of Mother Helena that Delaware found at the orphanage. The pieces are here, we just have to keep looking.”

“Well, if you ask me, it’s as if someone intentionally kept him out of public records. I mean, no birth certificate, no medical records at all. That’s not exactly normal.” Simon said as he closed the book.

“Nothing about Delaware is normal, Simon,” she pointed out. “He sees dead people and since he’s been here, this town’s become the focal point of a surge in paranormal activity. I think the lack of public records is the LEAST abnormal thing about him!”

“Well, I suppose you’re right,” he said as he walked to put the book back on the shelf. “I’m sure we’ll find some information for him, I just wish we had a better idea where to look.”

Simon took another book, one titled “Myth, Lore and Superstition” and opened it to the index.

Suddenly the downstairs front door opened abruptly. Kelly looked down over the balcony and saw Delaware race across the ground floor and sprint up the stairs.

They could both see he was out of breath and his face was bright red from running in the cold.

“Is everything okay?” Kelly asked as she got up from her desk.

After a few seconds of him trying to catch his breath, Delaware spoke.

“It happened again.”