CHAPTER 10: NEWS
-Okay, anyone up for spaghetti?-, Flavia beamed as she descended the stairs.
-Is Horatio cooking?-, Alexx asked, a smile in her voice. She had clearly heard two sets of footsteps.
-I'll help. -, he offered with a smile of his own.
-Damn. I would have love to see you cook. Unfortunately, I have to go home as soon as I can: my husband phoned to tell me our youngest son has a slight fever. I really shouldn't have let him play with a water pistol yesterday. –
-That's too bad, Alexx. Poor baby, I loved water pistols. Still love 'em, in fact… don't' be too harsh with him, okay?-, Flavia said earnestly, a pout on her lips. Alexx burst out laughing. The redheaded girl threw her a quizzical look.
-Sorry, sweetie, but that's the same thing Calleigh told me just moments ago. -, she explained, slightly out of breath.
-Oh. Smart girl. -, Flavia replied, winking at the blonde woman. –Are you going with her?-, she asked then, frowning. Calleigh, however, wasn't paying her much attention: so that was her boss in casual clothes, hum? He looked good, more relaxed: he was wearing a deep red T-shirt, maybe half a size too large for him, and gray sweatpants that hugged his long legs in all the right places. The ensemble made him look younger somehow, more casual, more… approachable. And his feet, clad only in with socks, were adorable. Finally, she shook herself from her reverie, glad that Horatio had not caught her scrutiny.
-No. I'm waiting for Speed, he's going to pass by here so he can give me a lift and give you your cell phone back. -, she replied, glancing at Alexx. Flavia nodded, with little conviction. She dreaded the moment her phone would be back in her pocket: how many of his calls had she already missed?
-Guys, I'm going. Take care, Horatio. -, Alexx said her goodbyes, while squeezing Horatio's arm affectionately.
-Will do. -, he promised, seeing her to the door.
-So, Calleigh, do you like spaghetti?-, Flavia asked the older woman, smiling brightly.
-Guess so, I ate them only a couple of times. -, she replied, shrugging.
-You'll love mine, I promise. Bro, show me the way to the kitchen, please. –
-Can I help you?-, Calleigh offered, getting up from the couch, with her usual Southern charm. She didn't like feeling useless, she wanted to help.
-Sure, you can tell me what you'd like in the sauce. Do you like tomatoes?-
Horatio led the way, head bent down to hide a smile. They were really similar, Calleigh and Flavia. So vibrant, so full of life, so joyful… so young. And obsessed with guns. They seemed to get along well and that made him really happy.
They started working on their dinner. Occasionally, Horatio pointed out were things were, but mostly the girls managed without him.
-Should we lay the table for four?-, Flavia asked. Calleigh immediately started protesting that as soon as Speed arrived she would get home; Horatio, she had gathered, was uncomfortable with people he had not invited in his house, well, spontaneously.
-But we don't know when Speed will arrive. Besides, I bet he'll be famished. Horatio?-, Flavia glanced nervously at her brother. She liked Calleigh and wanted her to stay, but that was Horatio's choice. He glanced briefly at Calleigh.
-Go ahead. Lay the table for four. -, he said solemnly. His sister grinned and gave Calleigh the thumbs up. The blonde smiled too, somewhat uncertainly. She was a bit dazed by the whole situation.
The two women set the table while Horatio surveyed the boiling spaghetti and the tomato and tuna sauce. They made small talk.
-So, tell me, Flavia: how old are you?-, Calleigh inquired, if only to pass the information to Tim.
-Twenty-three, almost twenty-four. –
-Wow, you're really young. How come you're already working for our department?-
-Well, that's a long story. I took my degree in Supernatural Biophysics and they decided to banish me from New York. I asked to come here in Miami. –
-Banish you? Whatever did you do to deserve that?-
-You remember when we talked about the Lexin Corp.? It bankrupted three years ago, but they were still doing researches. It never ceased to exist, they just changed its name. –
The two girls were seated around the table in the living room, so engrossed in their talk that they didn't hear Horatio approaching. He was carrying three steaming plates of spaghetti.
-And, pray tell, how do you know all this?-, he demanded, eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Flavia looked sheepish. –I worked for them as a part of my degree thesis. –, she explained.
-I can't believe it. Why would you do such a stupid thing?-, he demanded. He hadn't raised his voice, but he sure sounded annoyed for his sister's deception.
-I didn't really have a choice. There aren't a lot of opportunities for students like me and those few all tend to be a bit… dangerous. -, Flavia shrugged, unapologetic. She clearly believed in her decision.
-So… what happened?-, Calleigh prompted. She was captivated by the story and she felt that a piece of the puzzle was still amiss, an important piece at that.
-This happened. -, Flavia replied, lifting her yellow shirt just below her bosom, arching her back so that Horatio and Calleigh could see a long pink scar that run across her left hip.
-Werewolf. -, she explained , smoothing down her shirt. She then touched her collarbone, just above her right breast. –Vampire. They think that's why I didn't transform, their venoms didn't mix well. I should have died, but I didn't. In my opinion, that's because they had somehow modified their DNAs. At the time I didn't know, but when I left NY I suspected they were trying to create a biological weapon of some sort for the CIA. –
-The CIA?-, Calleigh looked bewildered.
-Yeah. When I finished discussing my degree thesis, last July, they were expecting me just outside my department. An agent forced me to get into this black car and then they told me not to repeat what had happened to me, or else they would have taken me and made experiments with my body. They gave me my degree and a gun with a license to use it. Congratulations, you are now a Supernatural Investigator. Stay away from NY and everything will be good. I asked if I could go to Miami and, well, here I am. –
Horatio and Calleigh were speechless. Everything was just so… surreal.
-That was fine with them, really. They said that I could train on the job here, because it's quiet, Supernaturally speaking. Yeah, right. -, Flavia rambled on, to fill up the uncomfortable silence.
-Have you ever thought about denouncing someone?-, Horatio asked finally, seeming none too pleased.
-CIA closed the Lexin Corp. once and for all, so… there wasn't really a point, was there? And I noticed that they were following me, even when I was with Jonathan, my boyfriend… I didn't want them to interfere with my friends' lives, so I just left. –
Horatio nodded, he looked more convinced now. Calleigh reached for Flavia's hand, squeezing it in sign of support; the two exchanged a smile. That meant a lot for the redheaded girl.
-Let's eat, shall we? I'm starving. -, Flavia suddenly exclaimed, forcing a smile. Just then the doorbell rang.
***CONTINUES***
So, this is Flavia's story. Good? Bad? Let me know…
Baci baci, Elisabetta