Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
…
Ding.
The elevator doors opened to reveal an empty hallway. The floors were covered in immaculately clean marble. One side was full scale windows, and the wall adjacent was crisp white, reflecting the daylight from the windows. Exactly how I imagined the penthouse to this luxurious trendy condo complex to look like.
A warm hand grasped mine, fingers tangling into mine until they were safely secured. I squeezed my hand in response, and that was enough indication for Seth to take the lead and lead us out of the elevator.
My shoes made a dull clack that echoed through the walls, as we made our way to the lone door adorning the end of the hallway. Seth's footsteps, well it was different, they were soft, but I felt warm relishing the sound of it. These new experiences that I was back to feeling, were slowly being registered in my brain, but oddly enough, being within close vicinity of him, I couldn't bother to feel confused to panicked. For some reason, this felt natural.
Natural.
Yet so different from the violence I handled naturally. This was, warm. I didn't know how else to describe it, but that was as close as I could. I knew I was definitely lacking normal experiences to be able to relay these feelings into proper analogies, but for now, I was willing to go along with them.
The door opened before we had to even knock. I glanced up at Seth trying to gauge his reaction, but he seemed perfectly at ease. He must trust them, and for some reason, I fully trusted Seth. Something about small town hunks, those chick flicks were on to something.
Walking into the room after Seth, I was subtly startled by the lack of light inside. The curtains were dawn shut, and only the lamps were on to provide light. I automatically recognised the individuals sitting in the living space of the condo. Edward was sitting on the love seat, with Alice seated across from him on an accent chair. I was oddly surprised by the people in the room, I figured Seth wasn't here on his own, but I didn't have enough time to ponder on who he may have come with. Save for the guy in the suit.
"Hello," Edward got up as we officially entered the living space. Reaching for my hand he smile, "I'm glad we could meet again."
"Of course," I let go of Seth's hand to shake Edwards, "I'm sorry about last time, but… But I'm glad to be here."
"Wonderful!"
Without warning, I was swarmed in Alice's arms, as she gathered me in a hug. "We were so worried about you, and when we came back to check up on you and found you missing. Well…"
She gave me an apologetic smile, while slightly glancing towards Seth. I could feel him tense at the memory her words may have brought on. But he seemed to recover as soon as I grasped his hand again. I didn't know what caused me to do that, but I was thankful for the effect it hand on him. I didn't want him troubled, especially since I knew the impending conversation we were about to have was going to be a tough one.
Before I could comment, to try and steer the conversation on another direction, the door opened again and the man in the suit appeared. Levi was close behind him, followed by another tall man. I racked my brain trying to remember his name, he seemed familiar I knew I had met him before.
"Mila," Levi gently pushed the man aside and gathered me in a hug. I reluctantly responded and awkward patted his back, awfully confused by the warm welcome I seemed to be receiving from all angles today, especially after, you know.
"Aren't you guys, like…mad?" I could hear the awkwardness in my question.
"We're furious," Seth answered, a smile still perched on the corner of his lips.
"Mhhmm," Levi hummed in agreement, while pulling away from me. I could hear a chuckle escape Edward and Alice from behind me, but before I knew it I was being engulfed into another hug. Except this time it was from the third man that walked in.
"It's going to take a long time for us to forgive you for that. Do you even know what we had to deal with? Seth was-"the rumbling deep voice was cut mid-sentence as was his hug, as he was roughly pulled off of me.
"Embry," Seth growled out, his hand tautly gripping on to the slightly taller man.
Ah, Embry that was his name.
"What? I was just welcoming her back."
"You were unnecessarily handsy."
"What? Handsy? That's ridiculous, the leech hugged her. I could smell it."
"That was different. She's family."
"WHAT? Are you kidding me? I'm your family, we're closer than that, and we're pac- brothers."
"Yes, well. You can stick to waving," Seth eventually clipped, smiling as if nothing happened.
"Are you serious?" Embry grumbled, before shrugging the hand off and walking out of the room towards another section of the condo. I could vaguely hear him mumble about opening up some windows to clear the scent and food.
"I don't think we've properly met," a curt British accent directed towards me. Automatically I knew who it was, turning my attention to him I quickly studied him. He was still wearing the same outfit I had seen him wearing earlier, and no one in the room seemed off-putted by his presence.
"Mila," I extended my hand towards him.
"Yes, I know," he drawled out, borderline condescending. "I'm Oliver Bennet, it's nice to finally meet you in calmer circumstances."
At his quip, I could feel embarrassment creep up, and slightly burn my ears. "I'm….sorry, if I had harmed you in any way prior to this meeting. I don't believe I was in my right state of mind."
"Darling, I can assure you, anyone inside Lex isn't in their right state of mind." His eyes were twinkling at the comment, and I couldn't help but let my face relax into a small smirk in agreement.
"Right. I believe we are in for a long chat now, aren't we?"
I could feel Seth give my hand a small squeeze in reassurance. When did he manage to curl his hands back into mine without me knowing, I didn't know, but I was still glad at the contact.
"Great. Mila, is there anyone you don't want here or this… chat?" Levi was staring at me, I knew he was referring to Seth, in case I felt- uncomfortable with him learning all about me. I could feel Seth tense at the question, and although I was considering keeping him out, I knew the pro's outweighed the cons.
"No. I think we're all good here." I gave him a small tight lipped smile. I very well knew that all of the adults gathered in the lavishly designed condo, were all informed about me in some way. And it was finally time where I too, learned about me. And them.
"Before we start, I'm afraid I'm going to need a cup of tea. Stereotypes aside, I am in need to some caffeinated pick me up. Alice?" Oliver looked over to Alice, and without missing a beat Alice was next to him, guiding him towards the same direction Embry headed towards. My intuition told me they were going towards the kitchen, and I took the time to situate myself into one of the love seats with Seth next to me. Surprisingly, he sat a comfortable distance away from me. I instantly knew it was to give me enough space to process everything that was about to me laid on me.
The gesture made my heart swell, the very act was foreign again, yet I welcomed it without question. I was starting to wonder just how void I was from this. From feeling…touched, on a level that seemed to be much deeper than simply physical.
"So, Mila, are you sure you're alright with us being here for this? I understand that we've only met once before this, so I can understand if you have any qualms with us, Alice and I, being present," Edward was resting his elbows on his knees, his hands in front of him gesturing to his words. The pose looked forced, too perfectly poised to pass for a comfortable pose. But I understood the psychology behind his actions, and that was enough for me to accept his intentions.
Taking a deep breath, "Going based on my intuition alone, it's obvious each one of you here have a reason for being here. I am okay with everyone who is here being present for whatever is to come. For some reason, you all are here, and welcoming me with open arms, after… after whatever happened. So… yeah."
Edward gave me a small smile in response, as Alice and Oliver sauntered into the living space again, each holding two cups, with what I presumed was tea. Levi within that time, turned off his phone from whatever conversation he was busy with, and shoved it into his pocket. Oliver passed his extra cup to Levi, before taking a sip of his. Alice placed a cup in front of me, and placed the other cup in front of Seth. I looked up questioningly up at Alice, only for her to smile in reassurance.
"Don't worry about me, I hear you're fond of crema coffee. I figured you'd want something good after all this time."
"Thank you," I sputtered in surprise. I looked over at Seth, and saw him nodding a thanks to Alice before reaching for his cup. Black coffee by the looks of it, I couldn't help but turn my nose at it and reached for my own cup. Seth and Edward must have noticed, by the sound of their amused chuckle.
"Mila." I turned my head towards Levi, "What is the last thing you remember?"
Cupping the small cup in my hand, "I was taking a walk towards a diner, and got picked up by a man and his child. I miscalculated, both turned out to be agents-"
"Child? Did you just say child?" Seth looked absolutely appalled.
"Seth, let her finish," Levi gave him a stern look before nodding towards to continue.
"Yes, child. I was drugged as soon as I figured it out, and then when I woke up I was in some… jail type enclosure. I was taken to a lab, and injected with something. And that was the last of my memories before today."
"Why today? If you don't mind me asking," Oliver pipped in.
"I don't know. I just remember 'waking up' against a pillar, my head was pounding. It turned out I was in the middle of a fight, and then you appeared."
"A head injury. That explains it, before you'd always just try to kill me if I stumbled across you."
"I… I'm sorry for that," I sheepishly apologised.
"It's not a problem, my own wife spent more of her life trying to kill me. Believe me when I say, I've been through worse," Oliver joked back, succeeding in lessening my tension.
"So you were injected something. And now a head injury helped you break out of… whatever it was. Do you have any recollection of anything that happened in between that memory of being inside that lab and now?" Levi's eyebrows were furrowed, as he tried to interpret the information.
"Unfortunately no," I felt helpless, here people were trying their best to help me and yet I could offer nothing to make it easier.
"How about… muscle memory?"
"Muscle memory?" I questioned back at Edward.
"Yes, did you notice anything strange in the way you act, react, think, feel?" He continued his questioning.
"Now that I think about it, yes. I noticed a lot of my actions were… are, different from my training that I was conscious of. I am… different, more … I don't know how to explain it, but my skills are definitely more refined than before."
Edward shared a look with Levi at my revelation. "How recent was the memory of you being in the lab?" Levi took over the questioning again.
"It feels like it happened just last week." Wherever they were going with their line of questioning was unsettling.
"And you have no idea what mission you were doing just now? The reason you're here in New York?"
"No. Not a clue, I just know that people that were after me weren't regular people. Their technique of fighting, and strength were more advanced than regular agents," I deduced as I was recalling the fight just earlier.
"They aren't part of Lex, if that's what you're wondering. But they aren't showing up in any other known database, which makes me believe they are working under an independent authority."
Seth gripped his cup a little harder at this, I wanted to hold his hand again, to ease him. But I knew we both needed to focus.
"I sent…" I trailed off, glancing over at Seth, Edward and Alice as I contemplated if I should continue what I was going to suggest.
"You don't have to filter yourself for us," Seth quietly assured me. But I knew from the tone of his voice and the lack of eye contact, he knew all about what I was capable of. I could feel the disappointment raise inside me, for making him feel this burden.
Clearing my throat I turned to Levi again, "I sent people to clean up the bodies. We could grab DNA before they… you know, do what they do."
"Oliver here already was on that, as he was on the scene. Those guys weren't part of the group that chased you, they were completely human." Levi tilted his head, "Why didn't you use Lexs services for the body disposable? You used a separate company, why?"
"I didn't, think about it when I was calling them. I was following my instincts, you could say. I guess I wanted to keep any mishaps from Lex until I knew what was going on before…"
"Oh don't tell me you were thinking about going back to them!" Seth looked furious at this.
"You don't understand, they will always be after me if I don't go back to them. At least if I know what their up to, I can go back in the stop it from the inside," I argued back.
"Mila, we both know you're actually not that naïve to believe that's actually possible. Look what happened the last time they had you? They brainwashed you and now, now months later, you're back. Who's to say when you go back the same thing won't happen again?"
"He's right," Levi piped in before I could get defensive. "The health check-ups they implement on the agents are designed to wipe memory. I was part of the operation to over-look the testing process when I stepped back from being active."
"I…what?"
"You wouldn't even be able to know if I'm telling the truth or not because each time you were injected you'd forget the experience, but I can tell you it is painful. The subjects used to bleed and wither in pain until they became catatonic and compliant."
"So you're saying…?"
"No, what they did to you the last time, was different. A regular check-up won't result in you changing your physiology, they must have known you defaulted and opted to change their technique."
"It could be because she's not… normal Levi," Oliver hesitantly injected.
"What is it? What is it that you're not telling me?" I could feel irritation start to boil at the lack of answers from all of this. "I know I'm not normal, I work as a brainwashed agent for Lex for fuck sake, taking lives left and right at their beck and call. Now tell me."
"We… we did some digging, and finally came across an autopsy report about… an individual I was directed to watch over," Levi slowly let out.
"No….no, it can't be." I recalled his story about how 'I' had died over his watch, surely he couldn't be referring to the girl actually being dead.
"It's true, she is dead." I could feel the cold start to creep into my body, but I continued to look at Levi, urging him to continue.
"We sent in some of your DNA, and cross referenced it with the report…" One hand was holding on to the cup tightly, and the other one was gripping the sofa seat. "Both your DNA and hers were almost a match. Except there were some variations between you two, ruling out a chance of you two being twins or sisters. Other than you being younger than her, your DNA held some… I guess in comparison to hers, yours held some better genetic codes. Allowing you to have better, predatory skills."
By now I had completely gone cold, but I pushed through, continuing to focus on his words. The blood rushing through my ears be damned, I was going to find out what I was, and my defence mechanisms be damned.
"Your genetic codes also contained… Inhuman codes."
"What?"
"Are you sure we should continue? Shouldn't we let her comprehend everything that was said so far?" Alice questioned, worriedly looking over at me. Obviously noticing my creeping panic attack.
"No, continue. I'm okay, just tell me and I will soak it in after," I took a deep breath and relaxed my body. Pushing out any emotion that was festering inside, ultimately voiding myself of any humanity, allowing me to experience everything without reacting.
I felt Seth's warm hand cup my knee, but the motion did nothing to stir emotions inside me. I only felt the heat penetrating the fabric that covered my legs. I ignored it and turned my head towards Levi.
"See? This is what Lex does, it turns people into emotionless, and mindless soldiers."
"Levi, just tell her," Oliver snipped. "It's obvious it's going to come out regardless of how she chooses to hear it."
"No, she needs to be human to hear this. She can't let them win, and turn off any semblance of human emotion whenever she wants." Levi rebutted, his breathing becoming more laboured with his frustration.
"Well according to you, I'm not really human anyway." I replied, blinking at him.
His expression changed from a sequence of anger, incredulity, to frustration to eventually defeat. With a sigh, he finally agreed and continued. "We found evidence there was DNA tampering on your end. There were traces of vampire virus incorporated, shape shifting gene, and two others that we haven't been able to classify. But one of the dominant codes seem to appear over and over again, and although it's not necessarily human, it is what you are. So as soon as we can classify that gene, we'll know what you are."
"What of the girl you used to watch over? The dead one?"
"She's dead, and has been for a while now. Her DNA indicates she's a human, well dominantly human. Her body just has a code that allows it to adapt to change easily. In other word's she's Darwin's theory all in one." Levi quietly revealed.
"And what is she to me?"
"She…well, more like what are you to her. You… are a clone of her. A perfected version."
"A clone." I repeated. I was cloned from a girl who was genetic codes allowed her to adapt easily. Which is why I was able to exist with … extra perks. But there were more questions, have I always been this way? When was I created? Being subjected to testing wasn't a new revelation, every agent underwent through intensive testing to ensure we were able to handle whatever was thrown at us. But how plausible was genetic testing? Lex locations were secretive and quite vast, it was possible there were sections where agents weren't aware of. Even if we did come from it. Were there more of me? Or of my species?
"How are you all connected to this?" I could tell they were a little surprised at my line of question. They were expecting me to inquire further into my being. "I understand some of you aren't human, and judging by the fact that you only could classify two of the codes. I say it's safe to assume that you're vampires then" Looking straight at Edward and Alice.
"Yes, we are." Edward hesitantly agreed. Glancing quickly over at Alice, he asked "And you are you okay with it?"
"My being okay with it or not, won't change your genetic make-up. It doesn't matter about feelings, we need to focus on the facts." Turning towards the owner of the warm hand still resting on my leg, "You must be the shape shifter then. You and your sister."
Seth's eyes widened in surprise, his mouth opening and closing unable to form speech.
"What do you turn into?"
"Wolves." A voice replied from across the room. "We turn into wolves when we're in close contact with our natural enemies." Embry answered, nodding over to Alice and Edward when mentioning natural enemies.
"Yeah, we turn into wolves." Seth slowly settled, looking a little embarrassed he couldn't clarify the inquiry himself.
"How were you able to find this out? Which lab was responsible for uncovering this?" I looked over to Levi again, "I can't imagine both Seth and Edward would be willing for their species being discovered. Lex knowing and experimenting is bad enough."
"Actually, it was our father who figured it out," Alice interjected. "About your… DNA origins. This was the first time he came across this type of inter-mixing of species."
"He believes there were more subjects of course, it's not possible to have a successful subject on the first try. But we haven't had any success in finding others, so far. Levi and Oliver believe that you might be one of the first successful ones, which is why Lex, is so determined to keep you."
"I see."
I took a deep breath, slowly easing up and allowing myself to fall into my emotions again. Although this time it was milder, the warmth of the hand on my leg was acting like a siphon for the tension. Easing me, comforting me again. I reached for Seth's hand and wiggled my fingers in between his, keeping our intermingled hands together.
"So what do we do now?"
"We kill Kawasaki of course." Oliver replied with a smile splayed across his mouth, his eyes twinkling again as if he just said a joke.
I was about to brush off his quip, until a memory flashed through my head.
"… I already did."
I didn't edit this yet, I'll get around to that soon afterwards. Thank you to those who reviewed! I was actually surprised someone caught on, so good on you! As always, I'm always up for suggestions or comments, helps me drive inspiration. Till the next time folks!