[BrickyardBabe]

Calista looks torn. She doesn't want to leave Robyn, but she knows that- despite her words to the contrary- she has a target painted on her back. House Laesal isn't going to take two captives escaping lying down. After a short deliberation, she nods. "Go, you'll be in good hands with Dr. Dacia." She says reassuringly, nodding at the hatchet-faced street doc. "I'm going to make a couple of calls on my way up. If I'm not here to get you when you wake up, a friend of mine will be. Her name is Iris because the mutation to her eyes. You'll know her when you see her." She embraces Robyn tightly, then, with a last look at the two women, turns and walks out of the clinic.

Her boots click on the cracked concrete that serves as a street outside. She's walking purposefully and swiftly but trying not to look like she's hurrying. Hurrying implies a need to be somewhere or a need to get away, and both make you a target. She pulls out her Erika Elite and consults it. Not surprisingly, being Below hashes the hell out of her comm reception, so she turns to head for Sinners and Saints. There's a signal repeater there that'll allow her to reach Iris.

Fifteen minutes later, she stands outside the club. The Goblin rock coming out of the lower level provides a strangely complementary backbeat for the Maria Mercurial Remix playing in the upper level, and she sways in place absently as she connects her comm. All around her are clubgoers, some coming, some going, most drunk or high. Stilettos, synthleather, body paint, holowear, and accessories like horns and wings abound and normally the sights would have stirred her loins and fired her bloodlust, but right now all Calista can think of is getting out.

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn blindly reaches out with an arm and catches Calista's shirt, holding on and pulling herself up to the vampire.  She reaches out and runs her fingers across Galista's face, then pulls her head to hers, locking her lips in a kiss.  Before she pulls free, Robyn nips at her lover's lower lip, drawing a bit of blood and licking it up to taste it.  She breaks the kiss and softly says, "I love you........just in case."

After Calista leaves the shop, Robyn turns to face Doc Dicer.  "I need help.  I was shot in the head and blinded years ago.  My body has a lot of implants to enhance my other senses; cyberware, bioware, and even some geneware.  You might have heard what happened at House Valerian?  Cliff Notes version is that I was tortured.  Calista tells me that it lasted about fourteen hours straight.  What Mel.......what.......what that woman did to me really fragged me up.  Lots of implants were turned to drek.  Anything else was damaged.  Then Pax used some sort of super healing medicine on me that forced my own body to try to reject what was left.  Bottom line is that I need some massive repairs and probably some replacements.  I have a list of what I used to have, and I have creds.  Can you help me?"

The hard-faced woman looks carefully at Robyn then holds out her hand to take one of Robyn's.  "Come on, let's see what I can do."  Dicer takes Robyn through a door to a screening room.  She has Robyn disrobe and begins a thorough examination, then hooks her up to some advanced diagnostic equipment.  After a while she puts her scope away and whistles.  "Well, you were right.  You had a good bit of 'ware inside you and it is all fragged up.  I can repair some of it, but a good bit is just scrap and will need to be replaced.  I can do that, too, but things cost more down here than in the overworld, but I guess you already know that.  I will need to call someone in to help with the bioware and geneware, and that will be expensive, too.  Calista told me that you are good for it, and her word is good with me.  Are you ready to get started?"

"I am more than ready.  Thank you."

Dicer takes Robyn into an operating room and puts her to sleep before she starts cutting.  For some reason, even though Robyn is unconscious, her body remembers another table and another knife and reacts violently to being cut.  The doctor is forced to stop and re-anesthetize her patient before she can begin again.

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn's mind tortures her.  She is on a table being cut again and again.  The smiling face above her is enjoying every snippet of pain, every anguished scream, and every drop of blood shed by her victim.  The room is awash in blood.....her blood, and the table is covered in it.  The next cut comes and she shrieks in absolute, soul-wrenching terror.  Then blessed darkness and nothing.

She wakes up feeling a bit groggy.  OK, a lot groggy.  She tries to move, but is restrained.  Her first sensation is one of near panic and her first impulse is to scream.  A soft voice tries to calm her, but her mind does not register that.  Then blessed darkness and nothing.

She wakes up feeling a bit groggy.  A steady beeping comes from somewhere off to her left.  Her fogged mind filters the noise and identifies it as the sounds from two medical monitors.  By the different tones, she can identify both devices, recognizing them as an ISO 45Q7 and an EVO Centralia Biserver and somehow knowing that both were obsolete nearly a decade ago.  Then her mind catches up to her memory and she realizes that she CAN actually filter the noises and tell which monitor is which.  The impact of this dawns on her; she can hear.  She tries to move and finds that though she is still restrained, she does have a small range of motion in her arms, while her legs are still tightly secured.  Robyn tries to reach out with her olfactory and tactile senses and gets nothing more than what would be normal.  Before she can panic again, she hears a soft voice, "Ah.  My patient is awake again.  Are you at least semi-rational or do I need to sedate you some more?"

Robyn considers the words and the voice.  She does not detect anything malicious and then the name that matched the voice comes to her.  "Doc Dicer.  No, you do not need to sedate me, but I am not sure how rational I am.  Some real drek was done to me.  You were fixing me up.  I have my hearing back, but nothing else.  Did something go wrong?"

She feels the touch of a hand on her arm as first one then the rest of her restraints are removed.  "Yes, I am Dicer and yes I am fixing you, or more correctly I am fixing your implants.  And some things went horribly wrong.  You are one seriously fragged up woman.  It is bad enough that I have to deal with the sort of drek I found inside you, but I also had to deal with you fighting me every step of the way.  Even unconscious, you resisted almost every move I made, as if your body itself was remembering.  I can and have done near-miracles on your body and your implants, but in my considered opinion, you will need some intensive mental therapy."

"Now, your ears were the easiest to fix and they are back on line and should be working perfectly.  Do you detect any differences in what they were before?"

The doctor's calm voice is more reassuring than Robyn had thought it would be.  Dice says just the right things at the right time to defuse another panic attack and she recognizes an extremely good bedside manner.  She reaches out with her ears and gives them a good run before responding.  "No,  The ears are working perfectly and the wireless functionality is spot on.  But what about the rest?  I cannot seem to pick up or turn on anything other than my ears."

"That is because I have blocked them for the time being.  Don't worry; I have repaired or replaced, well mostly replaced, all of your stuff that was on the list you gave me.  The deck was a fragging bitch to replace, though, and I have spent a lot of your money.  I had to have help with some of it, although you will be billed at a discount for that.  There are a surprising number of people that are impressed with what you did.  Hardly anyone likes anyone else in the Warrens, but Melissa is pretty much universally hated and let's just say that you have some friends here.  Might not mean much, but there it is anyway.  To get back on point, your body was apparently still under some small effect of Pax's drugs and started rejecting what I was putting in so I had to be very careful with the devices.  You were under the knife for a long time; much longer than I would have thought possible.  I will turn your devices on one at a time and let you get used to them again, but you have to promise to let me know if you cannot access what I am turning on, which would mean that I have to go back in.  Ready?"

Robyn reaches a hand out to touch the doctor's sleeve.  "Wait.  How long have I been out and have you heard anything from Calista?"

The silence from the other woman is deafening, then she softly responds.  "You have been here for three weeks, dear, almost all of it unconscious.  Calista has not been by, but she sent a friend to check on you.  Her name is Iris.  I did not let her stay for more than a few minutes.  I will send a message to her when you feel ready to talk to her."  The doctor wipes at the tears that start falling from Robyn's dead eyes.  "Now, enough of that.  Time for tears later.  You would not have wanted her to see the agony you were going through, would you?  Now pick an implant and I will turn it on."

It takes almost another two weeks before all of the implants are turned on.  Two need additional work and Doc Dicer puts Robyn in restraints to do the cutting, which turns out to be a good idea as her patient's body does not take the cutting well.  After that, a few more days sees all of Robyn's implants back on line and working perfectly.  Iris comes to visit twice but does not provide any information about the whereabouts or condition of Calista, nor does she stay long.  The doctor advises plenty of rest and practice with the implants and Robyn, being a surgeon herself, recognizes the value of the diagnosis and complies.

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn stretches out with her senses and smiles.  Her implants are as good as new and she is ready to go back out into the world.  At least she hopes that she is ready.  She still has nightmares most nights about being cut, but the severity is fading and she rarely wakes screaming.  Like Doc Dicer has said, it will likely take a lot of therapy with a good shrink to get past those memories, to bury them in some internal vault.  One of her greatest assets is not a curse; her mutated brain has allowed her to remember the smallest details about everything she has done, seen, heard, smelled, or touched.  And so she remembers everything from that fourteen hours of torture.

A representative of the Earl has visited several times to check on her progress and to tell her that an arrangement has been reached with Valerian House that Robyn will not be bothered or pursued as some sort of vengeance for escaping.  According to Melissa, all is forgotten and she does not wish to dredge the situation up any longer.  Robyn is skeptical, but she is reassured.  What bothers her more is that she has not been able to reach Calista and Iris, on her rather too infrequent visits, has not been forthcoming with any sort of information.  In fact, all the rather strange Keeb does is come in and check on Robyn's condition, almost as if she has to, and usually does not even speak to Robyn at all, relying on Dicer for information before abruptly leaving.  Robyn has resolved that today will be different.

Iris had arrived at the clinic a few minutes earlier and was out front talking to the doctor as usual.  Robyn walks out to the waiting room and stands in front of the door, facing back at the other two, who have barely noticed her.  She waits for a break in the conversation then says, "Iris, Doc, I want to know.  I feel that you are both keeping something from me about Calista and I think I am well enough to hear it.  Is she.........is she dead?  Did Melissa get her and that is why she is not interested in me any more?  Is she waiting for me in the overworld?  I would like some answers, please."

[BrickyardBabe]

Iris turns, her strange, particolored eyes widening. Its been a long time since someone caught her unawares, and she's more than a little embarrassed. It doesn't show on her face, of course. Her parents drilled into her at a young age to never let any see her sweat, and her poise and social graces are a cut above even amongst the intrigues of Below. So it is with a soft, melodious voice and a small, sweet smile that she greets Robyn. "Hello, Lady Lysander," she says, coming forward two steps and placing her hand on Robyn's wrist. "It is good to see you up and about. Calista will be pleased, an' she hears it." Her mode of speech is different than Calista's, more formal and complete and bearing that icy, instinctive aristocratic courtesy that old money families sometimes have. Iris' cool soprano is as heart-wrenchingly beautiful as Robyn's paramour's is, but it is the beauty of an ice sculpture or a snowy wood rather than the blast-furnace warmth of Calista's furry contralto.

Dicer looks at Iris and rolls her eyes, then opines, "Don't bullshit her, kid. I don't care if you are Calista's teacher. She has a right to know." Dicer turns to speak to Robyn but stops as Iris holds up a hand.

"Doctor, please leave us briefly." Iris says gently. Dicer looks offended, but Iris heads off her sharp retort by saying, "What you do not know you cannot have tortured out of you." Dicer looks shocked, but she nods and heads for the back of the tiny clinic and disappears into her office. She shuts the door and a moment later Iris and Robyn can hear Maria Mercurial's "Who Weeps For The Children" coming out from under the door.

Sighing softly, Iris pulls a chair away from the wall and ushers Robyn into it before coming around in front of her. She kneels- a difficult maneuver in the fifteen-centimeter Armanté heels she's wearing- and places her hands on Robyn's gown-shrouded knees. "Robyn, I have some news that might unsettle you. Please remember that we know nothing for certain and that this may amount to no more than a case of wanderlust or cold feet." She pauses to let that sink in, brushing a lock of honey-colored hair from one alabaster cheek as she waits, then says, "Calista is missing, and has been ever since just after she brought you here."

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn sits back in the chair and considers what Iris has just told her.  She has certainly already acknowledged that Calista might be dead or missing, but to actually hear it is unsettling.  Even as tears well up and fall onto her cheeks, Robyn shakes her head.  "I refuse to accept that she is dead, and she would not develop cold feet or just go walk-about.  That leaves missing.  The Earl's man told me that she is not a prisoner of House Valerian and that a quite willing Melissa was only too glad to open all of her torture rooms to prove it.  Of course, that does not mean that she doesn't have her, just means she is not at the castle."

"I know that she told me she was gong to make a couple of calls on her way to the overworld, but she did not say to whom or even if it was a comm or a visit somewhere.  Can you tell me what you do know?  Tell me everything you can, even the horrible stuff.  I have lived through Melissa and I will not fall apart here.  I want to find her and bring her home.  Please help me?"

[BrickyardBabe]

Iris nods. "Of course, Lady Lysander." Iris agrees, her voice the soothing tone that one uses to calm a frightened child, or animal. "She is my friend as well." Iris purses lush lips painted the color of ripe cherries, considering what to say and how to say it. Finally, she decides to start with where Calista isn't. "I have extensive contacts with very nearly all of the syndicates in London. I have made...inquiries." [/color=blue] She shakes her head. "The Yakuza, Seoulpa, Vory, and Triads have no knowledge of her whereabouts. Nor do Barimen House, the Terminus Margravate, or the Tolltaker Knighthood. All of them are looking now, as a favor to me. If she is hidden, she will have to be well-hidden indeed." [/color=blue]

Iris rises and offers her hand to Robyn. "We will find her, fear not. I can tell you her tale of woe, but not here. That is a tale best heard in the light of day, in convivial company and the warmth and comfort of home. It may lessen the impact."[/color=blue] She nods toward the door. "Shall we depart? I believe you have been cleared to leave this place and the good doctor has agreed to come to you if you need further adjustment. I would take you to Juliet House, my home, as a favor to Calista. I was her first call, to arrange an escort for you."[/color=blue]

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn takes the hand in front of her and stands.  She moves to the counter in the waiting room and writes a short note of farewell to the doctor, before turning to face Iris.  "I am ready to go."

The journey from the Warrens is about as uneventful as possible, considering where they were.  Her senses pick out people nearby but Iris and Robyn are not bothers, which is completely out of character for this portion of London Below.  Robyn would find a place to stay down here if she thought that Calista was still here, but the hard truth is that she has no idea where the vampire has gone.  And Iris is right, it is time to go back to the Overworld and see what can be done from there.  She knows people here, but she also knows people up there.  People that can look for Calista.  For a price, of course.  And Robyn would pay any price to find her lover, her Dark Lady.

Once on the surface, Robyn allowed Iris to take her to her home in Juliet House, but is quick to tell the other woman that she has a very nice home of her own.  She says that she is very glad for a place to stay while she heals some more, but that she will eventually want to go to her own home.  One of the first things she does is to buy a burner 'link and set it for the comm code that the had given Calista when they had met.  This is what the vampire would call her on and she plans to keep it free of other codes.  After arriving at Juliet House, she lets Iris take her to her suite and give her the guided tour.

[BrickyardBabe]

Iris delights in her home. She is vain, of that there is no doubt. Its not that she likes to rub the noses of others in her relative wealth and prosperity, its just that she knows that she has nice things and she appreciates when others enjoy them. The house is in a moderately awful part of the East End, and the homes to either side are crumbling at best and dilapidated at worst, but hers is a house lovingly restored and well looked-after. She gives Robyn the grand tour of the large, stately old victorian, showing her the pool, the garden, the sumptuous bedrooms, even her ritual space. The house herself is a grand old slitch, her floors either green-veined black marble or thick grey and green carpeting, her walls paneled in dark-stained, real wood, her furnishings wood and leather and sinfully comfortable. It is a lovely home that dates back to before the awakening, and Iris is justly proud of it. As she gives the tour, she points out this curio or that painting, always ready with a little story about its creation or how she came to possess it. She introduces the House's software personality, the eponymous "Juliet" and her drone maid, a realistic anthroform named Eros, with top-of-the-line domestic software and more than a few surprises. She even explains the security measures: the bribes paid to street gangs, the watchful eye of the Ten Thousand Lions, the spirits bargained with for astral security, and the Matrix programs put in place by a qualified Spider.

After a half-hour's tour, Iris stops at an oak-panelled door marked with a complicated carved-rose design and tells Robyn, "You can sleep and rest and reside here for as long as you wish. This is Calista's room, and you are welcome to your lady love's residence." She pushes the door open and RObyn is greeted with the smell of roses. A vase sits on the low, round table and two more on the dresser, each holding a dozen blossoms in pink and white and yellow. Unlike the rest of the house this is decorated in lighter colors; white carpeting, blonde wood, pale yellow curtains and dove-colored bedclothes. A small bookshelf holds two-dozen of Calista's favorite novels; The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, Nine Princes in Amber, Carmilla, Interview With The Vampire, Kushiel's Dart, and others, all from the last century or more. There are photographs on the dresser, one of Calista and a young girl, another of her having a black belt tied on, a third of her standing in a snowstorm wearing a scarlet snowsuit and skis.

With a promise that dinner will be served in two hours time, Iris touches Robyn lightly on the cheek and departs quietly, letting Robyn face the room and whatever thoughts or memories it might conjure alone.

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn cannot see the things that Iris points out, at least not in any real detail.  Her Ultrasound sensor allows her to walk without bumping into anything and even gives her a good idea of the textures of what she is "seeing", but there is no color.  She stops at the door to Calista's room and turns to face her hostess.  "Thank you, Iris, for the tour of your lovely home.  Did Calista, or Doc Dicer, tell you that I am blind?  I have sensors and senses that can pick out what you were showing me, but I do not get colors this way.  I am sorry; I know that many of the things you showed me are beautiful and I can and do appreciate fine things, but I cannot see them to appreciate them like normal people.  I will stay here until called for diner.  I do hope that I am not too much of a bother.  May I call my book store from here?  My assistant would like to know where I am and I do not know what you want me to say."

[BrickyardBabe]

Iris looks chagrined. In truth, she had been told that Robyn is blind during one of her interminable long chats with Calista, but in the excitement it had slipped her mind, and Robyn's demeanour and carriage make it easy to forget that she is in any way disabled. She blushes hotly, glad for a moment that Robyn cannot see the color rising to her cheeks and offers an instinctive curtsey. "My apologies, Lady Lysander. I fear I have wronged you by rubbing your nose in your condition." She says formally. "It was not my intent. Indeed, I am impressed. Calista mentioned your misfortune to me, but seeing you move and act offers no reminder that you are blind."

As she turns to leave, Iris says, "Of course you may call out. Juliet House has a global grid subscription. And it is no bother. I owe Calista plenty and you seem perfectly pleasant company." Her lips twitch into the ghost of a smile. "As long as you do nothing illegal while on the grounds, you may tell your assistant that you are at Sola Carys' home in the East End."

[Mercy Merchant]

"No apologies are necessary, Iris.  I try hard to appear normal.  Indeed, thank you for believing I was and treating me so.  I can actually "see" many things in fine detail, but colors are a bit of a challenge.  I can use drones to help with that, but the ones I had were destroyed by Melissa and I will need to replace them."

"Thank you for allowing me to call out.  I promise to do nothing illegal, but I may have some books delivered to me.  I find that having a real book in my hands is a good stress reliever and I have a bunch of them in Braille."  She pauses.  "I will not give up looking.  I let one person I cared a great deal about just walk away and I really do not want to repeat that.  How can I help?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn places calls to several people to let them know she is alright, telling them that had fallen quite ill on a trip Below and was still recuperating.  She explains that a friend has graciously invited her to stay for a few days and assist her with the final bits of recovery.  Her assistant, Sarah, tells says, "Yes, Miss Lysander, I am very happy to hear that you are finally on the mend  The staff has been quite worried, but a nice man by the name of Arch has kept us informed on your progress.  That must have been some illness."

"It was, Sarah, yes.  I am confident that you are running things well in my absence."

After a short back and forth about the status of sales over the past few weeks, Robyn promises to keep her informed as to when she will be back at work in the shop, and thanks Sarah for keeping things going in her absence and signs off to contact Arch.  The leader of the Mechanica is also glad to hear from her and gives her what information he can.  He has been sending messages to her associates to keep them from worrying too much.  Robyn asks him if he has any information about Calista in the Overworld and he tells her no, but that he will put out feelers.

After the calls, Robyn feels a bit tired and goes to the bed, stretching out and falling asleep until dinner is called.

[Mercy Merchant]

During the next three weeks, Robyn is guest of Iris as the Dryad helps her learn to use her implants again.  Messages are sent out as the pair begins the laborious task of trying to find out what happened to Calista.  Each lead is received with hope, something that never changes for either of them, but every lead turns to dust in their hands.  Calista was seen in a number of places by a number of people, but on further investigation, it always turns out to be someone else that looked like her.  Robyn wants to scream out that no one looks like Calista, but that would do no good.  She cries herself to sleep every night, and wakes up every day with a greater resolve to complete this task better than the last one she let go of.

Some of her clues point back to Below, but she cannot bring herself to back there, yet, so puts off exploring that until she is more ready.  Three weeks and she wakes up one morning with a new determination and a new plan.  Thanking Iris for the use of her house, Robyn trades promises to share any knowledge learned about Calista and returns to her own home.  Once there, she begins the next phase of her search.  She realizes that she is going to have to go back Below and that she will need some form of protection that her tattoo does not afford her.  Robyn calls Arch and gets the name of Robert Logan, a man that deals in private security.  Going to see him she explains enough of her problem to get the man interested, especially when she tells him that she is planning on returning to Below.  He asks her to follow him and walks with her to an outside pen holding three large dogs.  Robyn sees nothing out of the ordinary except for their size and does not believe the man when he says that these are really just pups, not quite at their maturity yet and will probably add a few inches to their size in the next few months.  "These are Hell Hounds, ma'am.  Believe it or not.  They make some of the finest security beasts available.  They are hardy, fiercely protective, and loyal.  Presuming, of course that their training begins at precisely the right time.  And this is just about the right time for these three.  Now, call me a salesman, but I can see that you have some sort of affinity for these creatures.  If you are willing to go through some training, I can teach you how to make one of these your best friend.  They are already responsive to vocal, sight, and some sound commands.  What you need to do is impress them that you are their companion and learn the various signals.  It means a lot of time on your part, probably more than he spent getting this far, but you will be rewarded with the best guard animal ever born.  What do you say?"

"I have heard only what is "common knowledge" about Hell Hounds.  Tell me what is so different."

"Well, for starters, these stand much larger and heavier than just about any other breed of hound.  Being awakened gives them advantages over others.  For instance, they exist in both our own world and the astral at the same time, which means that they can see and attack men as well as spirits.  And they have a powerful set of jaws and a really mean fire breath.  They can burn those spirits up like nothing.  They have something of the mojo about them, if you know what I mean."

Robyn has no idea at all what he means, but resolves to learn.  She asks about the price and can barely keep from blanching at the price tag.  Robyn makes a call to the executor of her trust fund and makes a request for the funds to be transferred.  There is quite a bit of back and forth before an agreement is made and the money is transferred to her and then to Robert Logan and Robyn is the owner of a Hell Hound.

[Mercy Merchant]

The Hell Hound stays with Logan while Robyn learns how to control it.  At some point the two seem to bond and she realizes that her new guardian needs a name and her mind flashes to the man that had saved her life more than once in a very short time period, proving how effective a guardian he has.  And so the hound becomes Al and Robyn hopes that the human Al will not mind when he finally shows up.  Robyn's mutated brain allows her to learn the different commands and signals easily and her training progresses at a rapid pace, surprising Logan very much.  After two weeks of dedicated training, Logan comes to her and says, "You know, it is likely going to be difficult for you to walk the streets of London with Al, much less be allowed into buildings with him.  Would you mind a suggestion?"

"Yes.  That thought has crossed my mind as well.  I would happily hear your suggestion."

"There is no easy way to say it, so here it is.  Get a certificate indicating that Al is a service animal."

Robyn's first reaction is anger.  She has spent decades proving that she is as capable as those who can see.  "You mean a seeing eye dog."  It was more a statement than a question and the silence from Logan told her all she needed to know.  "I am not sure that I like that suggestion, Roger."

After a brief pause, Logan says, "Think about it.  Service animals are allowed by law into every establishment.  You have what most people would consider a handicap, although those who have known you for more than a few hours know that is clearly not the case.  However, a Hell Hound is a creature of magic, some would say Al is a monster.  He scares people just by existing.  I can safely bet every nuyen I have that you would be denied entrance to almost every building in Greater London if you try to bring him along.  And leaving him outside is certainly not an answer; he is going to be your guardian and would do everything he could to get to you.  But a service animal is allowed everywhere.  All you need is a certificate of training and then you register him.  After that you have no troubles with access."

"I know a man who trains seeing eye dogs and I think he would be glad for the challenge.  If he says yes, you could be doing his training as early as next week, perhaps.  As it is, you are such an exceptional student that there is little more that I can train you to do.  Should I give my friend a call?"

After considering Roger's words, Robyn agreed.  An appointment was made and Al's training as a service animal began.  Within three weeks, Robyn was able to get a certificate of training and register Al as a service animal. 

During this time, Robyn kept in touch daily with Iris as the two followed every clue that came up.  Sometimes Iris played sleuth and sometime both went together.  Each clue proved to be an empty promise, but did nothing to undermine the hope that Calista would be found.