In the morning, Fox could not find Alexander. He wasn't in his room. Her thoughts immediately went to Keahi. Had she taken Alexander to Sevarius, even after what he did to her? She searched everywhere for him, checking with her husband and Owen. She was about to run to the surveillance room when she heard her little boy's voice.
"Mama, what's wrong?"
Fox whirled around to see Alexander standing behind her. He looked like he just woke up. He was rubbing the sleepies out of his eyes.
"Where were you?" Fox asked, scooping him up.
"I went to see the lady," Alexander answered. "Ke'hi."
"Ke'hi?" whispered Fox, not entirely sure what he was talking about. Then it hit her. Keahi! "What were you doing there?"
"She needed some help," said Alexander.
Fox was relieved that Alexander was not hurt. "Let's get you dressed and get you some breakfast."
"Pancakes?" asked Alexander.
"We'll see," said Fox.
Fox got Alexander dressed and took him to the kitchen. Renard was sipping his coffee and talking to Xanatos. Surprisingly, they were both in a good mood. Renard did not appear to be holding any resentment toward Xanatos. They were discussing what to do about Keahi's right arm.
"I can create a new arm, but she won't be able to use it until her shoulder finishes healing," said Renard.
"Can you recreate the old one?" asked Xanatos.
"I may," answered Renard. "But what I can tell from the remains of the old arm, it is an inferior model. I can create one that is more durable. She won't be able to break it. We should ask her if there is anything she would like to include in the new arm."
"We'll ask when she wakes up," said Xanatos.
"She's awake," said Alexander.
They turned to him.
"How do you know?" asked Renard.
"I woke her up," Alexander said. "I got out of bed and she woke up when I did. And she needed some help."
Fox looked at him. "You said that earlier," she said. "What did she need your help with?"
"Her hair kept getting in her face," Alexander answered. "She couldn't tie it back with one hand."
Keahi was awake for a little while and lay back down and went to sleep for a few minutes. She heard someone come in and opened her eyes. It was Owen. He came to the side of her bed. Keahi sat up and looked at him. She let out a small cry of pity when she saw the scratch on his cheek.
"I did that, didn't I?" she asked quietly.
"This was an accident," said Owen. "Do not concern yourself with it."
His words did not make Keahi feel any better about it. She crossed her arm around her middle.
"I need to change your bandage," Owen said.
Keahi untied the top tie of her hospital gown to allow Owen to unwrap her shoulder. She looked over and saw the stitches that made their way across her shoulder and around her back.
"We have noticed an anomaly on the X-ray of your shoulder," Owen said. "There appears to be a build up of bone."
Keahi looked at him. "Pull down my gown in the back," she said.
Owen complied. He saw two pale lines at her shoulder blades. He watched as the skin moved and Keahi let out a groan. A pair of black bat wings sprouted from her back. They stretched out before folding around her shoulders.
"So you can fly," Owen said.
"Yes." Keahi nodded and pulled her wings back into herself. "I don't use them much. I don't think I would get very far if I tried. The muscles are only strong enough to get me a hundred yards or so before I feel like I have to land."
Owen re-bandaged her shoulder before saying anything else. "Young Alexander appears to have taken a liking to you."
Keahi smirked. "Yes, he has. You keep trying to keep him out of here and he comes in anyway. He came in late last night. Stayed still in bed the entire time."
"That explains why Mrs. Xanatos couldn't find him this morning," Owen said.
"Sorry to cause you upset over it," said Keahi.
Owen said nothing. He turned to the door. "You have a visitor."
Keahi looked up and saw Claw standing in the doorway. Owen left and Claw came in. He was holding a tablet and a pen.
How are you feeling? Claw wrote.
"I'm okay," Keahi said.
That's good. I was a little worried.
Keahi frowned at him. "Worried? Why? I tried to kill you. I thought you would be thrilled to know I was injured and that Sevarius tried to kill me."
Claw shook his head, scowling. No one deserves this. He motioned to himself and to Keahi. What he did was wrong. You're not at fault for that.
"I killed innocent people," Keahi nearly spat. "Nothing excuses that."
Claw wrinkled his nose. You need to talk to Talon's sister. She'll help. She's a detective and very nice.
"Maza, right?" asked Keahi. Claw nodded. She sighed, "I don't like where this is going."
Claw scribbled something down and tapped Keahi to get her attention. She's not like other people. She'll help.
"Fine," conceded Keahi. "I'll talk to her."
After lunchtime, Keahi finally dragged herself out of bed and went searching for something to eat. There was a turkey sandwich sitting on the counter with a note saying that it was for her. Keahi ate and decided to walk around the castle for a little bit before going back to bed.
Keahi could hear a child giggling in one of the rooms. The door was opened just a crack. Keahi peeked in and saw Alexander making several brightly colored balls fly around the room in a row.
"See, you got it," came a familiar voice. Keahi almost didn't recognize it without the dark edge to it. "One more lap around the room and then put them in your toy box."
Keahi pushed the door opened and saw the elf bobbing in the air.
Alexander put the balls in the toy box and looked over at the opened door. "Ke'hi!" he cried.
The elf whirled around. "How long have you been standing there?" he asked.
"Not long," replied Keahi, her eyes fixed on him. Her gaze moved to his stomach. "How badly are you hurt?"
The elf smiled. "I'm fine. Don't worry your pretty little head about it. My name's Puck."
"Keahi," she politely introduced.
Alexander hopped up to her. Keahi easily caught him with one arm and held him close. Alexander's hand brushed her bandages and Keahi flinched slightly, but she was careful not to hurt Alexander when she did. He hugged her and she leaned her head against his and purred.
Alexander giggled. "She's like a cat."
Puck chuckled. "I think that's enough for today, Alex."
"Okay," said Alexander.
Keahi put him down. Something caught her attention. She sniffed the air a little and turned to the door. There was someone there.
"There you are," said a dark-skinned woman in a red jacket.
"Ah, the ever lovely Elisa Maza," said Puck, floating over to her, taking both her hands in his. "And what may I do for you this fine day?"
"Oh, stop it," said Elisa, pulling her hands away.
If Puck was offended, he didn't show it. "I didn't think you would be here until tonight."
"Circumstances said otherwise," Elisa said, turning to Keahi. "I need to talk to you." She looked at Alexander. "But not here."
Keahi walked out the door and the two women went outside.
"Claw says good things about you, Detective," said Keahi.
Elisa frowned. "Claw doesn't speak."
"But he can write," Keahi said. "He says you can help me."
"I don't know about that," said Elisa. "You've murdered six people."
Keahi tilted her head. "Six? No, that's not right."
Elisa frowned. "There are more?"
"No, less," said Keahi. "Only five died by my hand."
"Tell me," said Elisa. "Why?"
"Sevarius told me to," said Keahi. "They were practice. At least four of them were."
"And the fifth?" asked Elisa.
"The one at the zoo," said Keahi. Her eyes went farseeing, remembering what she had done. "The security guard at the Bronx Zoo. I'm not entirely sure what happened there. I don't remember all of it. I remember being around the large cats exhibits. He began to harass some of them. After that, it's all a blur. The next clear memory I had was standing over a dismembered body. I was covered in blood and even had it in my mouth."
Elisa stared at her for a long moment. "Open your mouth," she commanded. Keahi opened her mouth farther than a normal human could and revealed the large canines of a jungle cat. Elisa shuddered. "Maybe it's best if you don't know what happened."
"I need to know," said Keahi.
Elisa sighed. "You ate him," she told Keahi. "At least parts of him."
Keahi felt like she was going to be ill. "I did that? Oh. Oh!" She covered her mouth with her hand and felt herself falling backwards. Two large hands caught her and helped her upright. Keahi turned around. "Thank you, Claw."
Claw nodded. He looked at Elisa, his eyes pleading.
"Why do you say I killed six people?" asked Keahi.
"There was another body found," said Elisa. "It has the same claw and bite marks as your zoo victim. You said you didn't remember much about him. Is it possible that you killed this new victim and you don't remember?"
"I'm sure I would have some memories if I had," said Keahi.
"Then did Sevarius create another mutate like you?"
The thought sickened her. Another mutate meant another shot at Alexander and his family, along with Talon's mutates.
Keahi growled. Elisa took a step back and Claw tightened his grip on Keahi. "If he has created another like me, then he will try again." She sighed. "This is a disaster."
"I'll warn Xanatos," said Elisa. "How long did it take for you to be sent out after Xanatos?"
Keahi shook her head. "Longer than it would to train a new mutate just as bloodthirsty as me. I needed a cybernetic arm. The healing process took longer than the mutation process normally would have."
Elisa shook her head. "You're right, it is a disaster. You're sure?"
"I'm sure," Keahi firmly said.
She heard something above them. Keahi looked up and saw the black hair of Preston Vogel pass the edge of a battlement.
Vogel turned around and saw Keahi perched on the wall. He let out a startled cry and jumped back. He looked at the content look on her face. She wasn't smiling with her mouth, but she was with her eyes.
"You enjoy this, don't you?" he asked.
Keahi nodded before jumping down to where she was a moment ago.
"I see you found a pastime," Elisa said.
Keahi nodded. "He is so jumpy. It would be a complete waste to pass up a chance to startle him."
Claw smiled. He thought it was funny as well.
Keahi became serious again. "Now this has me worried."
Elisa put her hand on Keahi's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Now that we know there is a possibility for another mutate to come after Xanatos, we can be prepared."
"You are right," said Keahi.
After their conversation, Keahi went back inside. She was feeling sleepy again. Keahi wandered back to the infirmary.
"Miss Keahi."
Miss? Keahi could not remember anyone addressing her as Miss before. She turned around to see Owen walking up to her.
"Alexander wishes to see you," Owen said.
Keahi narrowed her eyes slightly, but went to the nursery.
Alexander was supposed to be taking his nap, but he demanded that he play with Keahi. He watched her come into his room and close the door.
"Ke'hi!" he cried, floating from his bed and to her.
Keahi wrapped her arm around him. "Aren't you supposed to be taking a nap?"
"I want to be with you," Alexander said.
There was a love seat on one side of the room. Keahi walked over and lay down, Alexander resting his head on her shoulder on the side with the backrest. She threw her legs over the armrest to allow her feet to dangle over the side. It didn't take long before they both were asleep.
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