Chapter 11

Eve glanced over Echidna's shoulder. "Is that a blue print?"

"It's Bade's hideout," Echidna stated. She pulled out another large sheet of paper. "It's structured similarly to Creed's old hideout when he was organizing the Apostles of the Stars. Bade's at the top, but whether he issued Tao Elixir to others or not is to be determined. As far as Creed's concerned, Bade hasn't done a thing concerning Tao. Creed thinks that if we get a few of the saner members of the Apostles together, than we might have a chance against him."

"Sane members?" Eve asked, wondering who was actually sane among the Apostles of the Stars. Even Leon seemed crazy to her—if not just an angry teenager wanting to get back against the adults who caused his life misery.

"Kyoko, Shiki, Charden, Leon…that group," Echidna answered.

"But not the doctor," Eve stated.

"No," Echidna agreed. "Not the doctor, Eithes, or anyone like them."

Eve sat next to the former actress and watched her go over the map. "Are you going?"

"I'll be getting you all in, but Creed's as set against me going as he is about you," Echidna put the pencil down and looked at Eve. "If you were his daughter, he'd have you tied up or knocked out with chloroform before we leave. You wouldn't have an opportunity to even jump onto someone's back and hitch a ride there."

"Creed's gotten rather protective of people, hasn't he?" Eve growled. Echidna smirked.

"Better than he was a few years ago," she said. Eve knew that it'd be better to have Creed protective than wanting to destroy the world. Even so, it felt strange talking to her former enemies, let alone joining forces with them.

"How is Leon, by the way?"

"He's at a boarding school," Echidna said. "He stays here over the summer. Still a petty punk, but he's gotten over some of the things that happened in his past. He looks at Creed like a big brother still."

"I never pictured Creed as anyone's brother."

"But he is," Echidna countered with a smile. "After Creed tried to talk to Bade, he told me about his brother. I don't think Creed would like Leon going any more than he'd like you going. From what I've been told, Bade will think Creed replaced him with Leon."

"Is there really that many jealousy issues in Creed's family?"

"Well," Echidna said, leaning back. "Their mother wasa prostitute. Bade and Creed only had each other growing up. They ran away from home, were taken in by Chronos and from there, learned to fight, resent humanity, and seek to cleanse it. If you want the specifics, I'd ask Creed. All I know is what I've been told."

Eve let this sink in. "Echidna," she began. Echidna glanced at her expectantly. "What is fear, really? Everyone's afraid these days, but I don't seem to understand why."

"Fear," Echidna began, "is only as deep as the mind allows. I couldn't even begin to tell you what fear is, Eve, only that it is something that we live with. Take for instance, driving. There is always the fear that one day, you might get into a crash and die. But you take that risk every time you get into a car which could be several times a day. You teach yourself not to think about it too much, but only enough to be wary of what you're doing in the car."

"So fear can be conquered," Eve concluded.

"No," Echidna said. "Fear is always there. Every time you get into a car, there's that fear of getting in an accident. Fear can be suppressed, it can be met, but it can't be conquered."

Eve frowned.

"Are you afraid of something, Eve?"

"Nothing comes to mind."

Echidna sighed, rubbing her temple between her eyebrows. "Then you've only suppressed it."

"Why is that bad?"

"It's not healthy. Your fear will burst out of you one day and you'll freeze. There's nothing wrong with being afraid, it's admitting to yourself that you are afraid that you'll be able to triumph over it."

"With my desire?"

"For some," Echidna said, smirking, "that works just fine. For others, simply admitting that your afraid gives you an energy boost that makes you less afraid of what's ahead. Courage is born from fear, Eve. Every time you're afraid, remember that."

"So when I know what I'm afraid of, I'll just meet it."

Echidna's smirk turned into a smile. She nodded. "I have to get back to this now, Eve."

"Right, sorry for taking your time," Eve stood. "And thank you." She bowed and left.

Echidna shook her head. "That girl's strong, but I have to wonder how strong she really is when she's facing her fears."

Eve went outside and sat on a blanket on the grass overlooking the lake. She had in her hand a voluminous book. She turned to the first page and began to read.

Captivated by the story unfolding before her, Eve didn't sense anyone approach her.

"Hey, squirt." Eve jumped up, ready to fight. Leon held his hands out in front of him. "Sorry, sorry. I thought you might like surprises." Eve relaxed.

"I thought you were at school," Eve stated, folding her arms.

Leon smiled. "Spring break. You?"

"Leave of absence," she answered. "Did they tell you what's going on?"

"Yup," Leon muttered. "They want me to get Charden and the others and expect me to stay behind here. Train told me that they're letting you go—WHY?"

"Because Creed's not my parental guardian," Eve said blandly.

"I wish Sven was mine," Leon growled.

"It was actually because of Train that I'm going," Eve corrected. "He convinced Sven that I'd be alright."

"Could he work that magic on Creed then?"

Eve thought about it. "Maybe," she said slowly. "You'd have to ask Train yourself though."

"Fine by me," Leon said with a shrug, pocketing his hands in his jeans. "Train's pretty cool."

Eve sat back down and opened the book again.

"Hey," Leon said, sitting next to her. "Would you like to go out some time this week?"

Eve looked at him, her eyes flashing. "Excuse me?" she growled.

"Yeah," Leon said, "to the movies or something; a date."

Eve felt her stomach clench. "No, Leon," she said. His face fell. "I'm seeing someone already."

"Oh," Leon said, looking away. "I see. I always thought that maybe…never mind."

Eve wondered why her stomach hurt so much. Maybe it was because she was lying? I'm not lying, she thought. I am in love with Train and vice versa, so how would it be lying? Maybe it's guilt?

Leon stood and walked back inside.

Eve tried to keep reading the book, but found herself unable to clear her mind long enough to concentrate reading. She marked her place, picked up her stuff and reentered the house.

She walked back to her temporary domain, closed the door, opened the windows, and sat on her bed, thinking.

Her thoughts were so muddled that her head hurt trying to sort them out. Some where questions she never thought she'd need to think about before:

What is fear?

What am I afraid of?

What do I desire?

The others were just purely confusing:

Why would Leon want to go out with me?

Does Train really love me back?

Do I really love Train or is it just a crush?

These thoughts spiraled through her mind like a whirlwind. Overwhelmed, Eve buried her head in her knees and began to cry. The answers to these questions never came to her mind.