Epilogue

October 6, 2040

We did eventually get to go to college, but there were a lot of thing that happened before we did, and naturally it wasn't in the usual way that we got admitted, but then nothing in our lives had been done in the usual way.

When the Paranormal Investigation Service had been approved and budgeted by Congress later that year, it instantly became known by its initials PIS, only everyone pronounced it 'piss'. It was something the White House advisers had overlooked when they suggested the name.

Guess who the first consultants that they hired were? You got it - US. Specifically the four of us. We worked on their toughest cases for three years. Of course part of that time Annie and Sara were pregnant, so it was mainly Sean and me that worked for them. We had made a lot of enemies in the Justice Department and the FBI, and needed to be very careful what we did. Fortunately, they could neither follow us, nor tell what we really did which aggravated them no end. They were never able to pin anything on us which really aggravated them.

Our Sisters each had a daughter in September of 2034. Our Wives followed in late October with a boy baby each. They named them Michael Sean and Michael Patrick.

The Paranormal Rights Act, as it was called, was eventually passed by both Houses of the Congress, and signed by the President, but it had been a long hard fight. There was a coalition of Southern religious leaders and Yankee Witch haters that came out vehemently against it. They quoted scripture and antiquated laws against Magic, Sorcerers and Witches. It could have been a very close thing with all of the ranting and raving that those people did on the news, and in their media commercials against the Act. There were many in Congress ready to vote against the Act because of that.

That was when our Family and the Magic community stepped in. The Senators and Representatives from Massachusetts were all ready set to vote against the Act. Members of the Boston Council started calling not just them, but all of the Senators and Representatives across the country that they and their people had supported for years.

They reminded them about that support and made it plain to them that it would not only not be there if they voted against the Act, but that the Magic community would actively support their opponent the next time. The New Orleans Council did basically the same thing, but they were mainly involved in just Louisiana and Mississippi. The Plains Council also had their people work the phones and internet in their areas.

There were also a lot of just plain ordinary citizens who also let their Senators and Representatives know that they wanted the Act passed. Somehow it all worked, and the Act was passed and signed by the President. It became effective on the first of January 2035.

It was shortly after that date that all sorts of beings came out of the closet. There were the Weres in their various forms. Shaman and Witches of different persuasions, and all kinds of hedge Wizards. Many of them had only marginal Talents or power.

Of course the problem with all of these choices was that the public didn't know who to trust, or who was a charlatan. To correct this situation, various Organizations set up accreditation testing. The Boston Council already had its own internal program of accreditation, and extended it to those outside of their organization - for a fee naturally. Other Organizations also set up programs, including the New Orleans Council who had changed their name from the Black Magic and Voodoo Council. They still dealt in both, however.

The most prestigious accreditation service, and the most lucrative was set up by those from the Otherworld in Ireland. Their tests were conducted near the top of Kesh Corran, outside of the caves there. Not only did those seeking accreditation need to get to Ireland, and speak old Gaelic, but they needed to get to county Silgo and then work their way to the top of Kesh Corran.

There were specific days for and amounts charged for each level of test. They were posted in the village of Kesh at the bottom of the hill. There were now a number of Guesthouses and small hotels that had been set up there and in Castelbaldwin to accommodate those there waiting to be tested. There always appears to be a waiting line, as the Masters and Senior Masters who administered the tests were very thorough.

In September of 2036, our sweet Wives presented Sean and me with girls - twin girls for each of us. Four darling little girls that screamed their little red haired heads off. The Fairy Queen did send Fairies to help with the girls, as we had been promised. Our daughters are named Laura, Gail, Katie and Margie. I have a large picture in my office here from 2036. It shows all eight of the O'Connell women pregnant!