New York: Allie's War, Early Years

"You are not a Sarhacienne, it is true," the man conceded, still smiling condescendingly. "...You are not of the Second Race, Ms. Taylor. You are of the First Race."

He paused, as if for dramatic effect. I only stared at him blankly.

Eventually, he waved a hand at me again, frowning as if in disappointment. He went on in that same magnanimous voice.

"...It is a pity you have not been educated on the beauty of the scriptures of your own people," he said disapprovingly. "This would mean much more to you if you were not so dismally ignorant. Take my word for it, Ms. Taylor...to meet the incarnation of a First Race being is an honor indeed. We all feel so honored."

Bowing to me formally, he smiled again.

"As I said, we were unable to identify with exactness which being your soul represents, but Davis over here..."

He pointed at one of the other men wearing all black, who smiled at me shyly, almost like he was a fan at an art opening. I could only stare at him, unable to believe he could look at me like that, when he was about to barbecue me.

"...He's our resident expert on the texts," Ponytail added. "After consulting with his books, he is reasonably sure you are either 'Trickster' or 'Serpent.'"

The man bowed to me again, still smiling like a boy with a crush.

"I think 'S-Serpent,' Miss," he said, his words carrying just the faintest trace of a stutter.

Blond ponytail man continued in the same, nearly happy voice.

"...We searched for a very, very long time to find you," he said brightly. "Years, in fact. But we stumbled on a lucky break a few months ago. By divine providence, we were given the biological markers with which to look for one of your kind. Our sympathetic patron most generously supplied us also with access to the international databases...and aided us with identification of the markers for the Four. Once we received those three things, it was inevitable that we would find a match...for our Ancesters are always among us, even when they choose to travel in disguise..."

All I could do was stare up at him.

I had no idea what any of them were talking about.

I knew there was all this symbolism around the number three in the seer religion. They showed some of that stuff on the news. But I had no idea what the whole thing with races was, or what any of it had to do with me.

Either way, clearly, the dude was insane. So were his pals.