Sorry for the delay. I was finishing up my Valentine's story and was waiting for a reply before continuing. Enjoy.
I do not own any of the characters.
An hour later they were in what can only be described as a castle by the sea. It was lavishly decorated with 13th century Japanese art and weaponry. Rex and Holiday gaped at all the paraphernalia as they followed Aimi down the long dim hallway. Six looked straight ahead and his eyes did not deviate either to the left or the right.
When they came to a metal door, Aimi put her palm on the pad on the wall. The pad scanned her palm. A mechanical voice said, "Welcome Aimi." The metal door slid open.
She walked through and motioned for the group to follow her in. As Holiday and Rex walked in they had to squint against the sudden bright fluorescent lights. Six with his shades had no such problem.
"Welcome to my lab." Aimi said.
When Rex and Holiday's eyes adjusted they stared in wonder at all the state of the art equipment. From the outside the room did not look as large as it was. Scientists in lab coats walked around with their clipboards, others were looking through microscopes while still others were at computers looking through data.
A scientist walked up to Aimi and handed her a tablet. Aimi looked at it briefly before handing it to Holiday.
Holiday quickly skimmed through the data and accompanying documents.
"It'll take me a while to go through all this information." Holiday said.
"Take all the time you need. I've set up a workspace for you." She waved her hand to the corner of the room. A large desk with a flat screen monitor sat ready for her. Holiday wasted no time. She unpacked the gear she brought and started studying the information on the tablet.
"While the doctor is working would you like a tour of my home?" She asked Six and Rex.
Six was about to turn her down when Rex said excitedly, "Sure, we'd love to see your place."
Six glared at Rex but before he could respond Aimi grabbed their arms and said, "Great! Let's go." She pulled them through the metal door.
0o0
Did this place ever end? Six was getting impatient. He and Rex went through nearly every room. The place was like a Japanese museum. It was clear that Aimi was proud of her heritage although she did look like she had mixed blood in her.
When they came to the game room, Rex's eyes grew wide. It contained every game system known to man and some that he had never seen before. He walked in like a zombie pulled by the seductive electric glow of the arcade.
"I guess we lost him." Aimi laughed. Six was not amused. He was about to go and grab Rex when Aimi grabbed his arm and pulled him with her.
"There's something I want to show you." She said mysteriously.
Before Six can say anything she dragged him down the hall to the next room. He was about to protest when he stopped and stared at the portrait hanging over the fireplace.
It looked almost exactly like him except the man had a beard and garbed in samurai gear.
He turned to look at Aimi. Her usual carefree air was replaced with a more serious attitude.
"I think you may be my long lost twin brother Akio." She told him.
Usually revelations like these would result in tears of joy or embracing. Instead Six turned on his heels and walked out of the room.
"Wait!" Aimi ran after him. "Aren't you even the least bit curious?"
"No." Six said almost angrily. He stormed into the game room.
Rex was on the DDR trying to beat the high score. Six pulled him off.
"Auugghh! No I almost had it!" Rex protested as he watched the screen flash Game Over.
Six ignoring Rex yanked him along.
"Where's the fire?" Rex asked sarcastically.
Aimi trotted along side Six. "Ok, this wasn't quite the reaction I was expecting but the fact remains you are my brother."
"Que wha?" Rex stopped walking and pulled his arm from Six's grip. He stared at his ninja nanny as he stalked down the hallway. He then looked at Aimi who looked puzzled.
Six paused and turned his head. They could see the scowl on his face.
"I have no family other than the Numbers." Six snapped. He continued down the hallway.
"I don't get it. I thought he'd be excited." Aimi said confused.
"Well, Six is not your typical hombre." Rex said as he ran to catch up with him.
Aimi paused a second before following after.
0o0
Six walked into the lab and approached Holiday's desk. Rebecca was thoroughly absorbed in her work. So much so that she didn't even notice when Six leaned against her desk. He cleared his throat. Holiday looked up startled.
"Oh, Six, what's up?" She bent back down to her data.
"How long before you discover the source of the energy signals?"
"What?" Holiday looked at him. "Six, I don't know how long this will take but it may be awhile."
"Well, can you speed it up?" Six asked uncharacteristically.
"Six, things like these can't be rushed. Now if you'll excuse me you are holding me up." Holiday turned back to her notes.
Six grinded his teeth. Rex walked in.
"Hey, your sister was wondering why you're being all emo."
Holiday looked up, "Sister?"
"Yeah, Aimi is Six's sister!"
If someone had told her that the moon was made of green cheese she couldn't have been more dubious.
"But how?" She sputtered.
"I can explain." Aimi said coming up.
"I'm not interested." Six said stubbornly.
"Why not?" Holiday didn't understand.
"That's my business." He snapped before walking away.
Rex, Holiday, and Aimi was left watching him leave the lab.
0o0
Holiday made a few discoveries about the energy signals. She gave her findings to the scientists and left to find Six.
She was not lucky enough to have gotten the tour so she ended up wandering around the whole castle. Serendipitously, she wandered into the room with the look-a-like portrait of Six. She stared at it. It really did look like him minus the beard and the clothing.
"He was an ancestor of ours from the Kamakura period." Aimi broke into her thoughts.
Holiday looked at Aimi. She suddenly realized why she thought she had seen her before. She had some of the unmistakable facial features of Six but it was her eyes. Holiday had only seen Six's eyes a few times but they were unforgettable. This woman had those same eyes. But personality wise they couldn't be more different. Aimi was extroverted, friendly, and open. Six to put it lightly was not.
"When I saw Ak… Six, I knew he must be the brother my mother told me about on her deathbed. " Aiimi said sadly. "I don't know why he doesn't want to know about his past."
"Because my family abandoned me and I was left to fend for myself." A voice came from behind the ladies. Holiday and Aimi turned around to find Six scowling at them.
"Please let me explain." Aimi protested.
"It doesn't interest me." Six said curtly.
"But it does interest me." Holiday said softly. Six locked eyes with Holiday behind his shades.
Aimi looked from Six to Holiday and realized that there was more between them than they let on.
A moment of awkward silence passed between them. Then to Aimi's surprise Six asked,
"Where was mother all those years?"
It seems the doctor held some sway over the stoic man.
Aimi smiled lightly. "You may want to sit down. It's a long story."
0o0
Six and Holiday sat on the couch across from Aimi who was seated on an armchair.
She offered them some tea. Six declined but Holiday accepted. When they were settled, Aimi gave them a small smile.
"You're probably wondering why I've called you here." She joked.
Six glared at her.
"Jeez, lighten up little brother." She leaned back in her chair.
"Please, begin." Holiday gently prompted.
Aimi took a sip and placed her cup down.
"It started as an unlikely romance between the daughter of a yakuza leader and a marine stationed in Japan. Despite their differences and the objections of her family they married and were happy… for a time. The daughter was not involved in the family business but that does not preclude you from being a target. While protecting her, her husband was killed. She was 8 months pregnant with twins. Her family was willing to take care of her and one of her children but not both. Having no other choice she gave one up."
Holiday glanced at Six. To anyone else it looked as if his expression didn't change. But she could tell by how stiffly he held his shoulders and the tightening of his jaw that he was angry.
"My mother was consumed by guilt. As she was dying she finally told me the truth that I had a twin that she gave up so that I could be given a chance to live. She made me promise to look for you and to find out what had happened to you. After her funeral, I made a search but the church where she left you was long gone and the orphanage you grew up in closed because of the scandal. Not that it mattered since I found out you ran away from there. You effectively disappeared." She paused to let the story sink in.
"But fate has brought us back together. And we can be a family again."
Aimi waited for her brother's response.
Holiday knew that Six was struggling to keep his emotions in check. She could see him clenching and unclenching his teeth. If his fists tighten anymore he would draw blood. She did something unexpected. She softly placed her hand on his arm. He looked at her face. It was full of understanding and patience. His boiling rage melted into a dull anger. He got up.
"We are not family. Mother gave me up. Clearly, I didn't matter enough. Now if you'll excuse me, I have check on Rex." Six walked out of the room.
Holiday looked at Aimi. She was confused at Six's response.
Holiday swallowed hard the lump in her throat.
"Don't mind him. He's had it rough." She got up as well. "I'll go talk to him."
Holiday followed after Six.