Second Chances

Chapter 1: Isabel Keller

The short version of the story of how I ended up in a NYPD interrogation room is this; no one likes when you steal from a pharmaceutical lab, especially when it's a lab owned by Muirfield. My name is Isabel Keller, but most call me Izzy. Muirfield knew who I was. I was secretly trying to find a cure for the super soldier gene. I started stealing for my home lab. I needed to know if it was possible to reverse what Muirfield had done. Little did Muirfield know, this little Goth girl with no parents knew how to at least suppress the beast from emerging in the super soldiers. Even though the soldiers were dead, I still needed to know if it was possible.

So now I'm here because I got caught. The woman in front of me, her name's Catherine Chandler. I've followed her around for a few weeks. She was the one who saw "the beast" nine years ago. The same beast that appeared again a few weeks ago. I followed Catherine when I saw that one of the Muirfield agents had new information about Vincent Keller being alive. That agent is dead, but Vincent is alive. Who is he to me? He's my father. I was only 5 when he went into the military in 2001. He wrote to me and my mom in code everyday about the super soldier project. The letters stopped coming in 2002 shortly before we received notice from a uniformed soldier on our doorstep that he had died in combat. My world turned upside down that day. My mother went on a downward spiral until she killed herself. I grew up in foster homes within NYC. I'm 16 now. I was working as an apprentice for Muirfield until I got caught. When I wasn't at Muirfield labs, I followed Catherine. I saw my father for the first time in years from a distance.

"So, Isabel Keller, any relation to Vincent Keller?" Catherine asked.

"What's it to you? He's dead." I replied. I couldn't let her know I knew he was alive.

"Nothing. I was just wondering. His name popped up on a case as a suspect, but it turns out, as you said, he's dead. So tell me, why did you steal?"

"Tell me, why is a homicide detective investigating petty theft? Look, I'm doing research at home for Muirfield. There was some mix-up in some paperwork releasing the chemicals from the lab. I have a copy right here." I pulled out the paper that I had signed to release the chemicals under false pretenses.

Catherine checked over the paperwork and then looked at me. "Looks legit, guess I will have to let you go. Just make sure to get the paperwork in the lab records right next time."

"Will do. Sorry about the confusion, but I tried to tell the cops that brought me in that I had a copy of the paperwork. They didn't listen." I got up and grabbed my jacket, Catherine followed. "By the way, he was my dad." I looked at Catherine.

"Excuse me?"

"Vincent. He was my dad. Even if he was alive, he would never hurt anyone. He was a doctor before he enlisted, but I'm sure you already knew that. And between you and me, Muirfield is not a company I like working with. I know things that they have done and I don't approve of all their methods. Anyways, if you come up with any more questions about this or my dad, feel free to call me." I handed her my business card and walked out of the interrogation room and out of the precinct.

After my run in with the police, I decided to go give JT a visit. I hadn't seen him after my mother had passed away and I knew he was the one helping my father. JT had stolen equipment from the college many times and no one knew about it. He never knew I had a hand in helping him. I knew he was up to something, and I knew people and how to get things done. Being on your own, you learn a thing or two. After working with Muirfield, I now know he was secretly trying to help my father. I needed to know what he knew.

JT's class had just let out for the day when I got to his room. The last of the students had filed out of the room and I walked in.

"If you want extra credit, write me a paper on DNA modification." JT said without looking up.

"Ugh, I would, but I'm not in your class, JT." I responded. JT looked up.

"Bel? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in school?"

"It's Izzy. Has been since I graduated high school two years ago." I had sent him an invite to my graduation, but all I got was the same invite with "Return to Sender" on the front of it.

"Oh, ok. Why Izzy and what in the world are you wearing?" He was referring to my Rob Zombie shirt along with my green plaid skirt. I also had on black leggings and my knee-high gothic boots. I had many different bracelets on both arms and had fingerless gloves on; both ears had multiple piercings in them, including an industrial piercing in the left ear. My hair was black with purple highlights in it pulled into pigtails.

"Dad always called me Bel. My friends call my Izzy. As for what I'm wearing, it's just what I like to wear."

"Ok. Why are you here?"

"I was wondering if we could talk."

"About what?"

"My dad. What he was like. How he ended up being a part of the super soldier project Muirfield had started. Why he's still alive and no one's said anything to me." I said the last part fast.

"Muirfield? They are dangerous. And he's not alive, he's dead. We both know this."

"Don't tell me what Muirfield is and isn't. I was just in police custody because of them. You don't know what all I had to do in order to get an internship with them just to find out more about the super soldiers. I'm not proud of it and you can't lie to me, JT. No one in Muirfield knows he's alive. I destroyed that evidence after the rouge agent got killed. I have done so much to help you out. I know about the things you stole from here. I know you're trying to help my dad. I'm working on a cure for him. I almost have it down. But in order to fully create the cure, I need to see him. I need to know what state of mind he's fully in and I need to know what Dr. Chandler had in her notes. I know you have her notes. I know her daughter Catherine. She's the one who let me go from the precinct. I've followed her a few times. I have seen dad talking to her."

"You've been stalking people?" JT was getting upset.

"Chill JT. No one knows anything nor does Catherine suspect that I know anything. Well, she might now seeing as how dad was our topic when she found out what my name is. I just want to see dad. Thinking he's dead, you don't know what that's like. I have no one, JT, you weren't even around and you're his best friend. You were as close to me as he used to be after his death, that when you left when mom died, I had no one. JT, I was in foster homes for most of my life. I still am, but no one wants me around. I don't even stick around long enough for my foster parents to ask where I've been or what I'm doing. I'm just more money for them. I'm getting out of the system though, and you're going to help me." I was nose-to-nose with JT and in tears. I wasn't going to back down. I needed to know. I needed to see. My father meant so much to me. I had no hope for years.

"Ok. Fine. I'll take you to him, but you have to promise to let me talk to him first before he sees you." I backed away from him and wiped away the tears.

"Thank you, JT. You have no idea how much it means to me."

"Let me finish grabbing my stuff and I'll take you to him. You know, you're just like him. Why did you end up at the station today anyways?" He asked while grabbing his things.

"I got caught stealing from Muirfield labs. I have my own private lab with a few things I have taken from Muirfield. I want to find a way to reverse what Muirfield did but I can't do it while they're watching me like a hawk. The name Keller is a semi-red flag to Muirfield and I might have just lost my internship with them for stealing. Catherine let me go without fully questioning the forged documents I had. I know she could tell they were fake, but she didn't say anything. I'm guessing she hates Muirfield too seeing as how they killed her mother." We started walking down the halls of the school together and to JT's car.

We arrived at the warehouse where my dad had been living for years. Abandoned, desolate, and just down right creepy from the outside. My father had been reduced to living in what appeared to be a hell-hole on the outskirts of New York City.

"Wait here. He could fugue out on you and hurt you if he doesn't have warning that you're here." JT said before getting out of his car.

"Don't worry, JT. Just go talk to him." I replied to him. He got out and shut the car door. I watched him walk up the stairs and into the warehouse. I watched the sky as time passed and realized a storm was quickly moving in. Thunder began to rumble and rain was coming.

JT's POV

I walked into the warehouse and set my bag down on the table.

"Vincent, we need to talk." I said, knowing he could hear me from his room.

"What's up, JT?" Vincent asked coming out of his room.

"It's about Isabel. I saw her today."

"Really? How is she?"

"She's good. Listen, you won't believe me, but she knows you're alive."

"How does she know?"

"She's been working for Muirfield. Vincent, she's all alone. I failed you when her mom died. I gave up taking care of Bel. My life has been in this warehouse since you came to me. She has nowhere else to go." As I spoke the last word, the door to the warehouse opened up.

Isabel's POV

I waited and waited in the car. Finally, I had no choice but to run up to the warehouse when the rain started pouring. I ran up the steps two at a time. I tried to knock on the door, but the rain was so loud, no one could hear my knocks. I gave up and just opened the door and walked in. JT and my dad were standing there both looking at me.

A/N: It's been a while since I've written any kind of fanfiction. so please be nice with the reviews. also, I will be posting this on deviantart under the name Blackrose2220. I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTERS EXCEPT FOR ISABEL!