Candi McArthur (Cataclysmic Gerosha)/High school

The following is an in-depth description of Candi's high school adventures as Ciem.

The endless harassment and hostile environment at Gerosha High School continued to create problems for Candi and her sisters. Marina would often find herself constantly taken advantage of by boys at school, though she develops a love for indie music and attempts to join a band to keep herself from feeding the urge to sleep around. Miriam joins a band of online vigilantes called the Critter Resistance Network, each of them codenamed after forest animals, so that she can fight the baddies that Candi can't touch.

Candi and Miriam form a special bond as vigilante counter-terror experts working in secret, but as sisters as well. Imaki assists them in covering their tracks on this, in spite the fact that Erin has almost full custody of Miriam and Marina, not Candi. The signing of the Kirby Act in early 2015 makes Candi's job of fighting off Hebbleskin monsters threatening Gerosha a little bit harder, as she now has to make sure she isn't seen doing anything that the far-reaching legislation could get her in trouble over. Simply being a Phexo puts her on a watchlist, per the legislation and orders of her half-brother Darius.

Imaki warns her that while the good fight must continue, she must always prepare for the possibility of being arrested at any time for any reason. He similarly warns Miriam and Marina that in spite not having manifested the centipede powers for themselves, they too are at risk of frivolous internment.

Tyrone affair
The need to protect Marina from some the consequences of an unsavory rumor leads to Candi agreeing to handle some bullies by sleeping with Tyrone Menster - a classmate Marina wasn't interested in who was interested in dating her all the same. Candi finds Tyrone mildly attractive, but is off-put by his desperation. She knows the risk she puts herself at doing this, but decides to put protecting Marina first. She negotiates with him that they'll "give one afternoon a try," and decide from there if he should really be pursuing Flippos or not.

Having mixed views about the one-afternoon stand, Candi finally goes along with it - until Tyrone reaches for a camera. She reminds him that they are both minors. When he attempts to start his camera to film her getting dressed anyway, she destroys it. He threatens to call the police; but she blackmails him by reminding him of what he was intending to do to her, threatening to call him out as a child pornographer if he has her arrested. He finally concedes to let go of his plan. Candi returns home later that day, informing Miriam and Marina of the situation. She vows to remain chaste for the remainder of the school year, being disgusted with herself. Tyrone tells his classmates that he slept with Candi, and she confesses to it - but says they weren't very compatible. She gives him a death glare, and he decides not to mention the camera. Candi fears that she needs to get away from the Gerosha High environment, that its influence is corrupting her.

Meeting Danny
While finding her classmates in late August of 2015 generally intolerable, there is one who routinely sticks up for Candi: Danny Loffin. The two of them grow very close, sharing their darkest secrets with each other until they discover they both have a huge crush on one another as well. In spite being forbidden by Erin to date, if she wishes to live in Erin's house at any point in time, Candi secretly takes up dating Danny. She also tries to get him involved with Imaki and the underground church, though he has reservations. She knows this should be a red flag, but is too overcome with infatuation to use her better judgment.

Candi seems to get along well with Danny's relatively conservative family as well: Richard, Megan, and Roger Loffin. However, things are put to the test when the Hebbleskins and their Gleeful-N'-Young operation team up with a local street gang in Gerosha dubbed the "Pyro Panthers." Candi and her friends scheme to put down the Panthers, learn who their Hebbleskin supplier is, and expose them to police. Candi and Imaki make their own plans for what to do if any more Meethexo monsters show up to defend the thugs.

In spite knowing better, Candi and Danny have a hard time resisting the urge by late September to engage in foreplay-like acts; often stopping just shy of actual sex. In early October of 2015, this graduates to them purchasing condoms and going to lengths to hide what they are doing - even as they begin having protected sex dozens of times a week behind everyone else's back. They resolve that they one day wish to have unprotected sex and get it out of their system - no matter the risk - and begin plotting when they believe will be the best day and time to do so without getting caught. They resolve that they will simply get married if a pregnancy occurs, though they want to marry anyway. Candi secretly shares with Danny that she also wants to have their "big moment" involve a "14-point session," as the ultimate way to put Don and Tyrone in the past. Danny is very excited - yet nervous - for fulfilling this wish. Imaki suspects that Candi is sexually active, and calls her out on it. However, he does little to stop her from continuing down that path. He also decides not to tell Erin.

Ciem: Inferno
Main article: Ciem: Inferno

Candi and Danny continue working with Miriam on a way to get the jump on the Pyro Panther gang and put an end to them, but they run into some trouble when they find themselves mostly unsupervised. Richard and Megan head out to Oregon, where Richard has been offered a new job as a logger. Danny fears this could lead to him being moved to Oregon, which would force him and Candi to break up.

Imaki heads to Japan to help Mukade out. Erin leaves town to help Meredith Stefflin with a 4H-related project they were both invited to be a part of. Marina and Anthony Wellings begin auditions to help Marina join an indie rock band. After Roger irritates some Pyro Panthers, the group vows revenge. However, the Hebbleskins send Frank Morvel of Gleeful-N'-Young a gift in the form of Lava Tigre, a fire-tiger monster that can help him defend the Panthers upon recruiting them to join the Hebbleskin cause. They begin a campaign of terror, setting fire to various buildings across Gerosha and even expanding into Evansville. The Evansville division keeps Emeraldon busy trying to find a way to eliminate it, though he and his mentor Kilmington fail to connect all the dots and know the problem traces back to Gerosha. Meanwhile, Candi's efforts to fill in for Emeraldon and stop an Icy Finger assault on Evansville lead to her discovering that the Icy Finger and Hebbleskin Gang have forged a shaky alliance.

She is returned home by Thevia Logindil after foiling most of the terrorist plot. Thevia fake-arrests her so no one will question why Thevia is escorting Candi out of the area. Candi is greeted by Miriam and Marina - who immediately become distracted by their own personal endeavors. Candi goes to her room, and finds Danny outside her window. She misuses her Zeran teleporter to assist him in sneaking into the bedroom. They are still discussing their "14-point" session plans, but decide not to pursue it while Miriam and Marina are downstairs. They instead elect to attempt it at Danny's house "sometime soon." They head to Candi's bed for unprotected sex anyway, as she offers him a "preview." They are just loud enough that Miriam overhears them - though she pretends not to notice. Marina has already fallen asleep downstairs by this point.

On Frank Morvel's trail the entire time is the Purge-Flare, still vowing to destroy Gleeful-N'-Young after Clyde Spendelworth tricked Chris into betraying Ashley Phillips to a brothel shortly after murdering Mark Stefflin a full six years ago. However, Purge-Flare runs into some trouble with his equipment, a problem exacerbated when local authorities mistake him for Extirpon.

Amidst the chaos, a new curfew is placed on Gerosha streets and the mayor considers a full-scale state of emergency being declared. This doesn't stop Candi from visiting Danny after school on October 15th of 2015. They initially get together to study, unaware of the new curfew - as Miriam forgot to inform Candi. However, Roger finds himself being chased by Pyro Panthers who wish to kill him and burn down his family's house, leading to him being late coming home. His efforts to keep them away from the house prove to be in vain. Lacking supervision, Danny and Candi give in to temptation and carry out their long-planned "14-point" sexual endeavor. However, the Pyro Panthers attack right as Candi and Danny are having sex. Roger arrives just in time to flee for safety along with Candi and Danny - whom he scolds upon catching them getting dressed at the tail end of their indiscretion. The Loffin brothers go one way to reach a motel, and Candi goes another direction to find a place to change into her centipede costume. Three police cars spot Candi in the parking lot before she can get her backpack off. She is arrested on suspicion of being a Pyro Panther gang member, though she insists she was simply fleeing the neighborhood during the attack. They discover her Zeran wardrobes in her backpack, and mistake it for bomb-making equipment. She slips up and explains what Zeran wardrobes are to locals, something SCALLOP has forbidden her to do. Realizing she has said too much, she surrenders. She is escorted out of town amidst the chaos, and is as surprised as her arresting officers to find a Hebbleskin Dome appearing around the city behind her. The police car is attacked by a masked man with a jetpack, forcing her and the officers to evacuate. She uses the opportunity afforded by the chaos to change into Ciem, and is able to stop "Drop-In" from killing the officers. She demands to know why he was attacking, but he only states that "nobody is to get in or out of Gerosha at this time, unless Lord Arfaas approves." She attempts to remove his mask, but he is too quick and detonates a flash grenade. This allows him to escape, vowing revenge.

Once he is out of view, Candi takes her suit off and switches into her regular clothes. She advises the officers on what to say to minimize the liability to themselves, and assures them she will not resist if they put handcuffs on her a second time. She makes it clear to them that she knows she has to go to prison - even if not for the reason they gave originally. After two days of putting up with an irritating classmate named Phoebe Gadsbury in the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's building of Harlan Ave. near Evansville, Candi is arraigned in juvenile court. Judge Richard Deckinson temp-adjudicates her to Madison Correctional for 8 days to await her trial for arson. She is disappointed in her incompetent public defender, James Lonsil.

In spite wishing to get out quickly to help her friends and family, Candi has too much respect for her belief in what the system is supposed to be to plot an escape. She befriends her cellmate Nancy Hizra, who was sent there for accidentally poisoning a poodle. She also befriends Cassidy Yarn. Candi initially finds herself in the middle of a rivalry with the prison gang leader Amirah "Flintirah" Rose, who was also in on arson charges and claimed to be a Phexo with fire powers.

Candi and Amirah eventually put aside their differences and join forces to save the facility after the guard Lonny Factor proves to be a Hebbleskin spy bent on killing (or recruiting) all the Phexo, Meethexo, and Marlquaanite prisoners. Further deduction leads to Candi and Amirah deducing that Factor is Drop-In. Amirah learns she is actually a Marlquaanite, and agrees to Candi's advice to apply for SCALLOP to take her case. Factor poisons Amirah with adrenaline to make her burn down the entire prison, but Candi is able to help Amirah regain control long enough to redirect the energy back at Factor. Grateful for Candi's help, Amirah promises not to be a bully ever again. Candi promises to work on not making snap judgements about others. Candi is sent to court, and is quickly acquitted of the arson charges. She is also thanked for saving lives in Madison. However, she's informed that she's due back in court in a month regarding her slip-up reveal of classified information.

She discovers that, in fear, Miriam and Danny had teamed up with the Purge-Flare to fight back against Lava Tigre. Miriam directs her to the suspected location of a Gleeful-N'-Young hideout, where Lava Tigre is placed on guard duty along with Frank Morvel. Frank's threatening to kill the hostages - including a Gerosha city cop - leads to Candi having to break off her battle with Lava Tigre. The Purge-Flare arrives to resume his battle with the monster, coming out victorious. Candi rescues as many hostages as she can, but is caught with her mask off by the officer. She lets the officer be the one to kill Morvel, and the officer agrees with the sentiments of the hostages to let Candi go free after Candi assures him she's due back in court anyway. Purge-Flare finishes off Lava Tigre, then seeks out Miriam's help in fleeing the city. The Pyro Panthers are disbanded and the Hebbleskins fall back away from Gerosha. Candi is convicted in court of leaking classified secrets, and is sent to an alternating house arrest / jail term of nearly 2 years. Danny is informed that his family will be moving to Oregon, as he and Candi tearfully break up - but promise to remember each other fondly.

In December of 2015, Candi turns herself in to serve her first month at Madison, her winter break gone. A young Randy Evans from town witnessed Miriam fleeing with the Purge-Flare, and mistakenly identified her as Candi. Due to his testimony, Candi was informed that there was some suspicion of her involvement in "Extirpon" escaping town as well. Realizing the cause of the confusion, Miriam resolved that she needed to turn herself in so as to reduce the erroneous placement of charges on Candi. She informs Tamperwolf of the Critter Resistance Network to inform him that Sniperbadger needs to go offline for a time to protect their secrets. He is confused at first, but explains that attempting to save her town in "meatspace" resulted in her having to turn a dangerous and bad man into a circumstantial good guy. However, this led to her alter-ego taking some heat. The CRN's mission must not be jeopardized due to Miriam being in prison. Tamperwolf tells her that she was always his favorite, and will reserve a seat for her if-and-when she should ever return. She goes with Candi to the police station to turn herself in, and writes up a confession letter. She leaves out of her confession letter anything that would identify her as Sniperbadger, or indict her friends, confessing only to her involvement with Chris.

Miriam is sent to the Warrick County Jail, informed she could qualify under SCALLOP for a 2-week special. SCALLOP agent Randy Lapborn works on the case for both Candi and Miriam, relaying information to Imaki and Erin as well - and ensuring that Imaki has rights to visit both girls and learn what all has happened while he was in Japan.

Sniperbadger: Fall of the Critter Resistance
Main article: Sniperbadger: Fall of the Critter Resistance

Candi learns she is pregnant with Danny's child, but she miscarries. She informs Imaki, begging him not to let Erin know about the pregnancy. He agrees not to, but insists she get additional counseling and attend chapel regularly. She also learns from a TV newsfeed about the destruction in Little Rock and Boston; and on how the White House was more interested in trying to capture Extirpon than they were in stopping Halal Affadidah, the Muslim Brotherhood, Antifa, and the Society of the Icy Finger from destroying Boston. She is also informed that Amirah and Miriam both have been transferred to SCALLOP Juvenile Containment Center - and why each of them gets transferred. Another news clip reveals to her that a certain Hea Pang is taken into SCALLOP custody for questioning regarding her role with the Gray Champion in stopping Brackett and Hibbins from destroying Little Rock - as well as her possible role in a jailbreak in Boston. She is additionally hurt to learn that an attack on the Pentagon required Darius to go back on his word for SCALLOP to go soft on Miriam. She is transferred out of Warrick County, and sent to SJCC down in Texas - for the better part of almost 2 years! Candi realizes the only upswing to this lengthy sentence is that she and Miriam will get out around the same time - but will still be housed thousands of miles apart from each other.

After winter break, Candi is sent back to Gerosha to attend school with a S'Poling-capable tether on her right ankle. She does her best to hide it from classmates, as she gets used to the idea of being a crimefighter that society mistakes for a criminal. She is sent back to Madison for her spring break, but let back out afterward. She finishes her semester, and spends the rest of her summer vacation serving in Madison. She surprises warden Bruce Almin by informing him that she'd like to take a year off from Gerosha High, and get her classes inside Madison instead. She explains that she feels like she is able to make more of a positive difference in prison than she ever could at Gerosha High. Deckinson - and her education counselors at Gerosha High - work out a deal with SCALLOP and Randy to make this possible. However, it also means that Candi's being in jail is no longer to be kept a secret from anyone at Gerosha High.

Ciem: Ash Cloud
Main article: Ciem: Ash Cloud

Candi is able to join a prayer group, but still struggles with guilt over her promiscuous past - and the fantasies that won't go away nor leave her alone. Bruce Almin decides to take over her training as Ciem from Imaki, at least until Candi is able to return to Imaki's custody. The two men consult each other with how to proceed. Candi is also commended for being a positive influence on the other prisoners at Madison, using her incarceration to be a source of inspiration to girls ready to give up on their futures. However, there are limits to her special treatment. She is very much aware that she is still in prison. As the Hebbleskins and Icy Finger join forces more and more with Halal Affadidah and the war intensifies to destroy America before the 2016 elections, Bruce works out a deal with SCALLOP and Deckinson to ensure that Candi can be furloughed if the world needs Ciem.

That arrangement is put to the test when the Hebbleskins send Eric Korsicht to attack Madison Correctional. Korsicht and his minions are grossly underwhelmed by the lack of opposition they face, until Candi and Bruce team up. They are able to stop all the invaders except Korsicht himself, who knocks Candi to the side and taunts her about the fact that he will soon destroy Cincinnati. Other Hebbleskins are ensuring that all the other heroes are too busy to stop him. He also captures Bruce to ensure the Candi will follow him. This forces Candi to team up with a security guard and head to the Cincinnati area, though Candi is only given three days to defeat the terrorist.

She knows time is ticking before Korsicht will be powerful enough to create another volcanic eruption similar to the one he destroyed Louisville with. She rescues a few civilians along the way, and even gets help from Flintirah and Mapacha. One woman she rescues, Cynthia Trenson, even offers to be her foster mother, if she can't get back with Imaki right away. She says this would help young Karen to get over the loss of her father that had happened when Louisville was destroyed. Candi informs Cynthia that she'd be honored to spend a few months living with her family, just as soon as her prison term ends.

Candi finally launches her counter-strike at a factory, avoiding death traps and also rescuing Bruce. When all hope to defeat Korsicht seems lost, the Gray Champion arrives to turn the tide. Gray deals the final blow that kills Korsicht, sparing Candi from having to take a life and gain additional time on her sentence. He then vanishes, while Candi returns to Madison with Bruce.

Bruce later makes arrangements so that while the Trensons are moving to Gerosha full time in early 2018, Candi can spend her first few months out of prison as Cynthia's foster daughter. Imaki and Erin both agree to this arrangement as well, as they focus on getting Miriam back from her sentence down in Texas.

Summer of 2017
In July of 2017, Affadidah's forces have made their way to Gerosha. True believers begin evacuating their homes and living in an intricate underground network of catacombs beneath the city. With Emeraldon busy on a mission in Iowa, a menace of a Meethexo named Quoll starts a campaign of terror after discovering several bunkers and catacombs. One brave teen, Remy Vernick, sets out on his own to protect the catacomb system. Candi is furloughed long enough to resume being Ciem, as Quoll has murdered a few SCALLOP agents and there is a bounty. Candi and Remy quickly become friends while trying to stop Quoll from destroying Gerosha both above and below ground. However, their efforts seem to be going nowhere at first. Quoll begins abducting young women for Gleeful-N'-Young, now fully integrated into the Hebbleskin Gang's operations.

Candi and Remy, in the heat of the moment, become very attracted to each other. They begin sharing stories with each other about where they came from - and where they're probably going. Right before launching a final effort to eliminate the monster, Candi breaks down from her therapy, and sleeps with Remy. Feeling guilty, Remy tells her to "keep on moving," and to find a man deserving "to know that moment for life" assuming they are unable to be together in the future. Remy gets himself killed during the final confrontation, and Candi avenges him with extreme prejudice. He reiterates his wishes to her with his dying breath, as she prepares to turn herself in for the end of her furlough. She is not charged in relation to the death of Quoll, given the nature of the bounty on him.

Release from juvenile detention
Candi remains in Madison Correctional until December of 2017, relieved to have Miriam also back in her life. However, Candi moves in with the Trensons upon resuming her schooling at Gerosha High. Imaki visits her often, and gives her an improved version of her Ciem suit to wear. When Cynthia is later killed in June by some Affadidah troops, Karen is sent into the custody of a family in the gradually-forming Exodus Agenda that Imaki is helping to create; which would orchestrate a campaign to re-settle everyone in or near Texas - should America become even more of a divided nation due to Affadidah's runaway success in taking over much of the country.

Sadly, Imaki's fears are soon realized in July of 2018, when "Ameristan" is officially announced as a nation and Texas becomes part of "Toklisana" following the slaughter of nearly everyone in Washington. The entire country breaks into four pieces, due to the Hebbleskins taking parts of the nation to form "Netheel" and China colonizing the west coast to create "Chimerica." Without Cynthia, Candi returns to her joint custody between Erin and Imaki. She continues to patrol as Ciem to thwart the forces of Affadidah's invasion, but it seems to be in vain. Imaki begins supervising her missions again, warning her not to embark on one without his clearance due to how dangerous and near-hopeless the situation has become. She instead focuses on aiding the Exodus Agenda in developing its ever-evolving plan, while accommodating the encroachment of Ameristan all around.

In spite her better judgment, she discovers Tyrone is still around. She buys him a better camera than the one he had before, apologizing for destroying the first one. He tells her that he deserved to have her destroy his other one - but admits that the fantasy he had with her is still very much alive. It wasn't about her age; but about her. The two have a one-night stand. While feeling dirty for this, Candi at least feels her conscience is clear of the destruction of his earlier camera.

Rise of the Affadidah regime
Candi learns upon Miriam's release of the various adventures that Miriam had while in SJCC. Both of them are happy for the Gray Champion and his support staff. Yet, they are both saddened to learn that Amirah died on a mission; as Miriam had befriended Amirah at SJCC. The girls attempt to integrate back into their old lives; yet they run into some difficulty. Imaki attempts to cheer Candi up, yet warns her that the Ameristan situation will only get worse before it can get better, with Indiana being quickly transformed for the worse. He informs her that if Affadidah gets his way, Candi will have to relocate to get married. However, she could elope in secret if she finds a man worthy of her and with God on his mind. Candi vows to aim for such a man, and to not choose just anyone. Imaki starts keeping Candi at his place more often, knowing how bad things could get if Erin learned the truth about Candi's sexual past. He warns Candi that even with grace at maximum, there would have to be consequences of her past choices. She accepts this as an inevitability. However, her longing to erase her trauma with Don still haunts her, tempting her to scheme a way to replace the negative memory with a positive one.

Marina begins to have difficulty keeping her own sexual addiction a secret, and finds Miriam and Candi to be of little help. She finally meets Matt, who is able to help her and becomes completely devoted to her. The wealthy son of a car dealer, Matt is set to relocate the family business to the new "Toklisana" that is forming in response to the growth of Ameristan. However, he and Marina grow impatient due to the increased difficulty they have with getting married. Marina becomes pregnant, and Erin kicks her out of the house. She moves in briefly with Imaki and Candi, and then marries Matt the first chance she gets. Candi gets the urge to confess the truth to Erin, but Imaki urges her to wait.

At first, Halal Affadidah's Jihadist regime promised that all Americans who registered as Toklisanans in the nick of time would be allowed safe passage into Toklisana and out of Ameristan. Thousands registered to leave Ameristan, but a few hundred realized that the promise was disingenuous. If the promise were sincere, then there wouldn't be a waiting list for who could depart. Matt saw writing on the wall, and liquidated what few assets were left of his family's car dealership, Baret Auto Sales. Matt moves his wife Marina and son Andy to Toklisana in dead-of-night, smuggling them in due to knowing that he would not be allowed to leave. Imaki considers pulling Candi out of school; but Candi warns that too many trying to leave ahead of schedule would backfire. Imaki reluctantly heeds her warning. He instead focuses his efforts more and more on ensuring that the Exodus Agenda community can retain its ability to hide from the increasingly-hostile Amerstani regime and its Hebbleskin alliance. Disagreeing with the aggressive and direct approaches that Arfaas and Affadidah are taking, Rappaccini elects to have the Icy Finger start infiltrating Toklisanan politics to cut off the resistance at its source.

Angry with Erin for exiling Marina, Miriam rebels and moves in with new boyfriend Phil Couric and his parents. They begin plotting their own marriage plans, and how they can make things right, as Phil and his family plot to move to California - now under Chinese control due to China being forced to invade to recover its debt before the Hebbleskins and Affadidah made that impossible. The Hebbleskins tirelessly work to reforge their claimed states into "Netheel", a stronghold nation for Duke Arfaas that grants him some visage of credibility as a ruler. Arfaas and Affadidah establish in their truce that they will not attack each other; but work together to invade Toklisana repeatedly - and destroy it before addressing "Chimerica." They also come up with schemes to rid their own territories - and Toklisana - of all altered humans that could pose a threat to either of their regimes. SCALLOP is forced to begin relocating its bases of operation out of Ameristan, and representatives for the Affadidah regime provide SCALLOP with several protocols in order to ensure safe exile to Toklisana. Candi decides to remain with Erin half the time out of sympathy, and is uneasy about dating as she wants to be sure the next man to enter her life can be a worthy successor to Danny.

Meeting Donte
While Candi was with Imaki in Evansville at a special meeting for Phexos and their mentors in late July of 2018, the Hebbleskins launched a raid. A fight soon broke out at the convention center, and Candi was nearly dealt a serious blow by a mantis-themed monstrosity. She was spared, however, by a young man who flew in and fought the monster head-on. Just as he was about to be trapped in an MPF, Candi fought off its wielder, giving her rescuer a chance to save himself. Things continued to get out of hand. He turned out to have a mentor: Rev. Tyler Kilmington. Alas, Kilmington got into the line of fire right as the man who had suddenly caught Candi's eye had been rescued from what would have been his doom. The minister was shot down by a Meethlite holding a revolver. That young man soon found himself fleeing the scene with the help of Candi and Imaki.

The new regime showed up with tanks, and made quick work of most of those who were still there. The conference was supposed to be about finding one's peace via healthy relationship with God; but ended instead in a bloodbath of war. The Hebbleskins wanted to seize the opportunity to wipe out Phexos; and a convention center event dedicated to them provided a perfect target for Duke Arfaas' army to gain some experience. As the young man made it back to Candi and Imaki's hotel, he revealed himself to be Evansville's defender: Emeraldon. He was otherwise known as Donte McArthur. Five years older than Candi, his life was in shambles - much like hers. With Kilmington gone, Donte was now completely without a family. The new regime closed down the sports store where he worked, leaving him with no job. Imaki promised to take him in; although he stated that he'd have to use his network of underground shelters to make sure Candi and Donte weren't technically cohabiting. He knew, however, that the similarities between the two in almost every area of life meant a strong likelihood of the two becoming romantically interested. Donte is shocked to learn that Candi was the very "Ciem" that he had named, and that the two of them were now close friends with great chemistry. They discussed when they'd be able to move to Toklisana, and Candi brings up the fact that she may have to protect Toklisana from her college campus - assuming they could ever escape Ameristan in time.

In spite knowing Erin wouldn't approve, Candi and Donte decided to begin dating by mid-October. Candi confessed to her entire history, surprised that Donte didn't reject her on the spot in disgust. Donte confessed that when his power first manifested, he couldn't resist the urge to take revenge on the men who murdered his father. He may not have killed them per se; but he left them wishing they were dead. When they saw how religious each other could be as well, that made each other even more appealing. It doesn't take Candi and Donte dating in a chaste manner for long, before the two of them begin to realize that they were meant to be together.

Candi's struggles for self-control become stronger than ever; in spite wanting to control herself out of respect for herself, her family God, and Donte. As Erin has to leave for more mental hospital treatment, Candi finds herself alone house-sitting. One evening, this leads to Candi deciding to watch a football game at Gerosha High instead of staying home. Donte meets up with her at the football game, and the two of them discuss some more their plans for life and for the future - as well as what to do concerning registering as Toklisanans so they can finally move away from Ameristan even as Affadidah's laws become more draconian. They made their relationship official. The two decided to sneak off as the game was ending, and flew to Candi's house to get to know each other better. However, the two of them, left alone together for too long, succumbed to the urge to consummate their relationship. They felt guilty about taking advantage of the situation, and resolved to be more careful about self-control and focus on other and more important aspects of their relationship once that weekend came to an end. Yet, the need to validate one another led to them having a sexual marathon.

While nothing new for Candi, Donte felt especially guilty and awkward about it. This was a far cry from the morals he had been taught and had adhered to up until that point. Rumors began to fly about her almost immediately, as the other students grew highly suspicious of Candi suddenly showing interest in Donte. She tried to keep Donte's age a secret, fearing her classmates would accuse him of being an ephebophile. Only to Erin and Imaki did she deny the activities of that particular evening, however, admitting openly to her peers at school that something happened. She decided there was no point denying it to them, because they would be too cynical to believe her denials even if her denials had been the truth.

Donte informs Candi that laws are becoming tougher, making marriage of non-Muslims almost impossible to make legal, official, and public. Stories are coming in that Toklisanans leaving Ameristan peacefully are now being betrayed by Hebbleskin spies and Ameristani guards at the border, and are either shot dead or arrested and sent to death camps rather than allowed to leave peacefully. He also informs her that industry is suffering. Lambrelli Labs, for example, had successfully relocated to Oklahoma right before Affadidah reneged on his promises and started turning Ameristan into a giant prison state.

There are also rumors that Don the Psycho has returned, along with Gunner and Skellig Soorfelt. They are terrorizing those who did make it into Toklisana. The full extent of Arfaas' diabolical plans has yet to be revealed. Yet...SCALLOP is restricted in how it may act. Another organization is infiltrating the Toklisanan government, and has sinister plans of its own. They just aren't sure which one yet. Imaki is building more underground bunkers in case of the worst, and is networking with others reinforce his "Exodus Agenda" - in case Affadidah implements his full sinister plan of creating an energy dome at his national borders with Hebbleskin tech. A resistance force would be needed to aid the Exodus of all those Affadidah is plotting genocide against; in which Candi and Donte would be necessary to foil these plans. They discover that, for the time being, Marina and Matt are safely in Toklisana. Miriam and the Courics, however, are still behind enemy lines. An effort by Candi to contact Miriam is frustrated when the regime decides to assassinate the personnel behind Miriam's phone service provider.

Failure to appear charge
After Candi completes some homework the Saturday after she and Donte first consummate their relationship, she and Donte have sex again. They spend most of an afternoon intimately in each other's arms. Donte decides to leave for the house he is squatting in, and flies off. Candi is suddenly greeted by SCALLOP Agent Marion Wevenil showing up in the living room. Candi is informed that she was supposed to be in Evansville on Friday night for a mandatory medical exam ordered by the Affadidah regime to happen at a specific clinic. Candi was not informed of this, as Erin had thrown away Candi's mail carelessly. SCALLOP personnel still trapped in are given permission to leave Ameristan for Toklisana by the early Affadidah regime on two conditions: that they regulate and report on the presence and health stats of all Phexos in the country and that they do not offer any aid or assistance to Phexos in leaving the country.

After she is allowed to contact Imaki and Donte, Candi surrenders to Marion. She is issued a 2-week special, and kept at the SCALLOP of Evansville Jail, with her physical exam being performed listed as a condition of release. In exchange for keeping SCALLOP business (and her affair with Donte) a secret to Erin, her SDCPM rapsheet is made public. Her juvenile records are also unsealed, never to be hidden from public view again. Her school is given a cover story explaining why she was to be gone, making it sound like she was guilty of some other minor crime. SCALLOP officials also collect Candi's homework, so she can do it from jail. Erin's extended stay in the hospital elsewhere makes it easier to keep her in the dark from what's going wrong in Candi's life.

Donte turns around just in time to learn the details from Marion of what will happen. He vows to Candi that he never wants to find a reason to leave her side ever again. Marion is touched by his devotion, but learns that Donte is five years older than Candi. She warns him that for the sake of appearances, he should avoid having sex with her again until she has graduated from high school. Ashamed of his own lack of self-control, and wishing to lift Candi's spirits, he seeks out a minister who will elope them in Evansville.

The regime decides that Emeraldon is their new biggest threat, and they send a strike team to assassinate Donte. However, Donte is able to thwart capture in spite one of his attackers having MPF technology. Candi spends her time in jail befriending "Slip-" Sadie Klink, who was taken in on involuntary manslaughter charges after an accident led to the death of her ex-boyfriend. The slightly-older Marlquaanite quickly becomes a "big sister" / "aunt" figure to Candi, and warns Candi of how bad Affadidah's regime is becoming in states to the east of Indiana. Candi immediately turns this kind gesture around, and counsel a young Maggie Contor - whose family was murdered by the Affadidah regime. Maggie is being transferred to SJCC in time to serve time for manslaughter as well, when she fought back and killed the intruders that killed her family.

Candi decides after she gets out to use her criminal history to intimidate school bullies into leaving her alone. This doesn't stop them from calling Donte her "creepy old guy." Miriam helps Candi retaliate by hacking the bullies' connections to the school's server, making it difficult for those girls to turn in their homework.

Unofficially married
Candi and Donte decide to elope in secret in the presence of Rev. Eric Timbleton and Imaki Izuki. Candi regrets that she could not let Erin attend, as Erin was being treated at the time. Imaki reminds the couple that if they survive and make it to Toklisana, they will have to remarry - since their marriage in Ameristan will no longer be legally recognized by Toklisanan authorities. They are encouraged not to let anyone know about their "marriage" until they are safely out of Ameristan - least of all the regime, which has now banned "kafir" marriages as part of its slow genocide campaign. All the same, Donte moves Candi into the abandoned house he has been squatting in. The couple waste little time consummating their "marriage," though they debate whether they should start having children right away.

Candi finally begins moving her things out of Erin's house and into Imaki and Donte's houses. At this point, Candi finally confesses her sexual transgressions to Erin, and says she no longer deserves to live under Erin's roof. After a long talk, Erin forgives Candi - but warns her that life will continue to come up with consequences that Candi must face. Only in the hereafter, can she ever hope to find true and complete freedom from her past. Otherwise, it will always find a way to haunt her. Erin insists that the rules be followed in spite of this, and agrees that Candi must leave the house for breaking the rules.

The girls part ways, and Candi feels relief - and a sense of closeness to God - unlike any she'd felt in a very long time. She and Donte decide to take a break from sex, so that they can learn how to function as a true marriage in spirit. For the first time, Candi is able to feel a sense of relief from her urges, while feeling loved in ways that she hadn't felt since before Don turned evil. She realized that, regardless how intimate her feelings were with Danny, it was never the complete and fulfilling love she and Donte had found. Her relationship with Danny, by contrast, had been more about infatuation and lust. She was finally getting better at telling the difference. However...she knew the warnings were serious. She maintained a story to her classmates that she was "merely shacking up" with Donte - while telling authorities that she was single and chaste. She knew she could only maintain these lies for so long.

Graduation
While Candi and Donte's interest in each other was but puppy love at first, it quickly blossomed into true love as they began to go on missions and face trials together - and attended underground church services. Candi's graduation from Gerosha High was fairly uneventful; but the day after proved to be a day of infamy. The regime had officially gone back on its word. Worse, it decided to form a pact with the Hebbleskin Gang to keep Toklisanans from being able to use the western borders with Netheel and Toklisana as a passageway to freedom. Using Meethlite technology, a large force shield, called "The Wall," was erected to keep most Toklisanans permanently trapped behind enemy lines. A campaign of "cleansing" began in Ameristan, and all non-Muslim "kafirs" were subject to random arrests.

Death camps began popping up, and it was only a few months after Candi's graduation that Gerosha had been reduced to a war zone. There was little reason for anyone to trust anyone. Imaki's resistance pockets started arming themselves, as the regime cracked down mercilessly. Miriam and Phil found themselves in a tight spot when the Hebbleskin Gang deduced where Miriam was hiding, with the aid of their own hacker: Melvin Markus. Phil's parents were killed, and the young couple found themselves on the run. Alas, only Miriam made it to safety.

Phil is later killed by the Hebbleskins. Her last text to Candi was that she would not be seen for a while. She'd contact Candi again when she was able. Candi found herself even more alone. Imaki and Donte, and the greater cause, were all she had left in life. She hoped to work with the two men to let Phil's dying dream come true: a breach in the Wall assuring that most (if not all) remaining Toklisanans could make it to a new and better life. Erin was able to witness Candi and Miriam receive their diplomas from Gerosha High, although the girls were denied their honor roll status for political reasons. Miriam assures her family upon leaving town with the Courics that she and Phil will be married just as soon as they can find a safe passage to California.

While Ciem and Emeraldon do save many lives during the raid, Gerosha is left in ruins. The regime continues its offensive on other parts of the state soon afterward, and the Exodus Agenda gains increasing membership spring of 2019 - and increasing secretive support from Toklisanan authorities. Candi and Donte's house is later discovered by the regime, and the couple are forced to move into an underground bunker with Imaki. Erin is hesitant to also move into the bunker, though that means Candi must visit her periodically to ensure her safety.