Part 35
Logan POV
"Where are they?" I asked. I woke up an hour ago to find the place empty I even went down to the café to see if they were there but they were not. They were all gone.
"So I was like Pam…" Liz trailed off when she came in. She and the others are all sweaty.
"Where were all of you I was worried sick?" I asked cringing knowing I sounded like their father.
"Gee dad we just went to work out." Alec said confirming my previous thoughts.
"Well it would have been nice if someone came and told me this maybe I would have liked to come." I folded my arms across my chest.
"That is okay you would have just slowed us down." Tess said.
"Yeah we just did not want to wake you. None of us could sleep so we just went to do stuff." Max said trying to sooth me.
"Why do I get the feeling more happened then what you all are letting on?" I asked.
"Logan we just worked out and trained a little." Alec said.
"Really well I could have offered pointers and told you all what to work on." I said.
"Uh Logan we are trained soldiers we know what we are doing." Zack rolled his eyes at me.
"Besides what could you add to this?" Krit asked.
"I have been in the felid long enough to know that we need to train hard so that Lydecker does not catch us unprepared." I said.
"Logan drop the lecture you have not been in the field, you send Max to do all of your dirty work while you sit behind your computer." Liz said.
"Really well I know Max, Zack and Krit need more training because unlike some of you they are not trained killers." I spat getting fed up with Liz's mightier then thou attitude.
"Oh I am going to…" Liz lunged at me but thankfully Alec caught her before she can do any damage.
"See her first instinct is to kill me she does not bother talking about her problems." I said folding my arms across my chest. I think I proved my point.
"Logan?" Maria asked.
"Yes?" I asked.
"DUCK!" She yelled launching herself at me. Even with my exoskeleton on I am not able stop her.
"Maria, stop please!" I yelled as she punched and clawed at my face repeatedly. I taste a sweet copper in my mouth; blood. She drew blood.
"Whoa Maria." Krit said as Zack and Krit pulled her off me; they are having a really hard time.
"Logan just, just go in your room." Isabel said.
"Excuse me where do you get off telling me that young lady I am old enough to be your father!" I yelled.
"Yeah and my adoptive dad is no where near as mean as you and my dad who is High King of Antar would feed you to the Gandarium!" Isabel screamed as she too launched herself at me. I feel this electrical sensation coursing through my body. I look at Isabel to see her hands on my chest sending this red energy through me.
"Isabel!" Zack yelled as he yanked her off of me.
"What is wrong with you people? I was only trying to help!" I yelldd turning and stomping off to my room. I will show them!
Liz POV
"I can not stand him any longer! I am sorry Max but he went to far this time!" I said hearing my parents' bedroom door close.
"I know and you have no reason to be sorry Liz. I think I am just now seeing the true Logan Cale." Max said hurt.
"Max this is going to sound so clichéd but there are other fish in the sea. There are so many guys out there who would gladly take you out and want to get to know you." Isabel said.
"I know, I know that I am an attractive woman I can admit it because I was made to be beautiful but I guess I just wanted to believe that Logan was one of the good ones and that he liked me for me and that he was not just using me because of my abilities." Max sounded so utterly crushed.
"He was stupid Max you are special and a guy would have to be down right stupid not to see that and love that about you." I said.
"I know it will just take me some time." Max said smiling slightly.
"Well we will not push you." Tess said.
"Okay now I know this is so going to kill this moment we were all having, but we all stink we need to shower. Who is going first?" Max asked.
"I think the guys should go first!" Maria said plugging her nose for the added effect. I did not want to add that I thought they smelled good, it was their natural sent amplified.
"Want to join me Maria?" Krit asked wiggling his eyebrows.
"Sorry already taken and if I remember correctly so are you." Maria said.
"Yes but I am sure Syl will not mind." Krit said playing with Maria.
"How could you do that to Syl?" Maria asked outraged. She looks around the room at all of us.
"Wait that was a joke." She said laughing finally catching on.
"Yes. After all of us shower, we can all open the café. Guys if you would not mind I would love it if you helped out today. We were really understaffed this week and Maria, Michael and I could really use the help?" I asked.
"I am in Tess?" Isabel asked.
"I am so in." Tess said.
"The rest of us will help as well." Max said.
"Okay everyone lets get this over with we have two bathrooms and nine of us so hop to it!" I yelled with a laugh as Alec and Krit hopped in the air.
Surprisingly it only took three hours for us all to get our showers. We had to stop after each shower so that the hot water could regenerate.
"So Liz is Kyle coming in today?" Tess asked as we prepare the café to open for the day. It looks like we will all be working.
"Yes he comes in usually for breakfast with his dad." I said.
"Great." Tess said.
"So planning on having that talk this morning?" Isabel asked unable to hide her glee.
"Yes I want to get everything out in the open as soon as possible. Also I want to see Jim and ask him if I can stay with him and Kyle again." Tess said with a sheepish grin.
"Does Jim know that you are back?" Maria asked.
"Kyle said it would be better if he told his dad first. It hit him pretty hard when I left according to Kyle. I know that Jim saw us off, but when you all came back and I did not he took it hard." Tess said.
"Yeah and then with his lousing his job and then just recently getting it back things over at the Valenti place have been tense." I said feeling bad for Tess having had to give up the two people who were the only real family she ever had.
"I just hope they will both forgive me eventually." Tess said.
"It will take time, but they will." Maria said.
"Hey everyone." Michael said as he came in.
"Hey Michael. Michael do you know if Max will be stopping by?" Isabel questioned.
"I don't think so why?"
"Just wondering." Isabel said.
"Don't worry Isabel I think Krit scared him enough last night. I don't think Max will come in today." I said.
"Why what happened?" Maria asked tying her apron.
"Krit gave him a warning and when Max blew it off Krit punched him." Max said laughing.
"Go Krit." Tess laughed as she came out in a uniform, the antennas bobbed as she bounced around the café.
"Morning everyone!" Kyle yelled as him and his dad came into the café and took a seat at the counter. In the morning it was their favorite spot to sit.
"Hey Kyle, Sheriff." I brought over the coffee.
"Tess." Jim said looking at her soaking in her appearance as if she was going to disappear at any moment.
"Hey Jim. I was wondering if I could talk to you and Kyle for a second." Tess said fidgeting with her apron, poor girl was so nervous.
"Sure." They both said looking to me.
"Go on you can use the back room none of us will disturb you." I said as Tess ushered them into the backroom.
"Poor girl I hope she can work everything out." Krit said.
"Krit have you taken a liking to Tess?" Max asked.
"Yes she is a nice girl." Krit said.
Tess POV
My palms are actually sweaty! I am starting to shake that is how nervous I am. "So Tess you are back." Jim shied.
"Yes, I am sorry I did not come and tell you in person. Kyle and I thought it might be better if he told you first." I said.
"Yeah well it sure was a shock." Jim said.
"I am so sorry for leaving you both and for leaving you to deal with all of those questions. Also for making you all think that you had let a killer live in your home. If there were another way where I would not hurt the two of you I would have done it. You two were the only people who accepted me; you were my family." I said trying not to cry. Since when did I become all emotional?
"Tess Kyle told me what happened and I too am sorry. I am sorry that I could not protect you from that monster and that you had to leave." Jim said giving me a hug.
"Thank you. I used to think Nasedo was like my father, but now when I look back on it you were more of a father to me. You taught me how to care about others and what was right and just plain wrong. You taught me how to be human." I said causing Jim to tear up as well as Kyle.
"Thank you Tess that ah that means a great deal to me." Jim said.
"Kyle you have been a great friend and at times a pain in the butt but you accept me flaws and all. You always stuck up for me and you have no idea how much that means to me." I said making the other guy shift around.
"Thanks Tess." Kyle said smiling slightly.
"Tess do you have a place to stay?" Jim asked.
"Not really. Michael offered for me to stay at his place but it would only be temporary." I said.
"Kyle and I discussed it last night and we would like you to come live with us again." Jim said.
"Really?" I asked.
"Really. So what do ya say?" Jim asked.
"I would love that thank you." I said.
"Great well I am going back upfront." Jim said leaving as Kyle started to follow I stopped him.
"Kyle wait I need to talk to you." I said.
"Sure Tess what's up?" He asked sitting on the couch again.
"I know I hurt you really bad I made you think that you carried one of your best friend's bodies. Like I said before, I whish there had been another way or some way that did not involve hurting you." I said.
"Listen Tess I know you were just doing what you had to, to protect your people." Kyle said, but I can still see pain in his eyes.
"Yes but it hurt the people I love. Kyle I like you and I want to have things be normal between us again." I said why can I not get out what I want to say.
"What do you mean by like?" Kyle asked with a hopeful expression.
"I like you like you, you know in the, I want to jump your bones kind of way." I said.
"Ah…ah…that is ah…are you serious?" Kyle asked.
"Yes. I am sorry if it makes you uncomfortable its just I have liked you for so long…" I trailed off feeling uncomfortable.
"Tess the reason I took your leaving so hard was because I too have feelings for you. I too like you. When you said you were having Max's kid it hurt a lot." Kyle said.
"Really I just thought that you thought of me as your sister and that you were mad at Max because he knocked up your sister." I said.
"No I was mad at him because he walks all over everyone and if he does not get his way he throws a hissey fit. He took Liz away from me and then you. The only problem is when he took you it hurt a lot more." Kyle said.
"Well if it makes you feel any better I never had feelings for Max." I said.
"Really?" Kyle asked.
"Really. Even in our past life I thought of him more as a brother or best friend." I said.
"Okay I know this is jumping the gun by a long shot here, but Tess will you go to prom with me? I promise it will be better them the last one." Kyle asked.
"I would love to Kyle and yes this prom will be better then the last." I said I could not help but grin.
"But before hand I think we should take the time to get to know each other again. You will be living with me and dad so it will give us plenty of time right?" Kyle asked.
"Right." I said.
"Let's go back out into the café before the others get worried." Kyle laughed leading the way.
"Kyle you are such a cornball." I said.
"And you love it."
Liz POV
"Look here come Tess and Kyle and they are both smiling I take that as a good sign." I said.
"Okay so are you still staying with us?" Jim asked eyeing Kyle.
"Yes she is we just had a few things to work out." Kyle said.
"Like what?" Michael asked.
"Like Kyle and I going to prom together." Tess said.
"Yes!" I yelled running to hug Tess just like the other girls and Krit. We all look at him funny.
"What I got caught up in the moment." He said letting go of Tess.
"Okay like you guys did not see that one coming." Kyle said.
"We knew you two had some issues to clear up, but we knew you two would go together." I said.
"Well as fun as this has been I have to get to work. Tess you can start moving your stuff in today." Jim said as he tipped his hat and left the café with his cup of coffee.
"I can not wait I get my own bed!" Tess said with a dreamy look.
"Looks like it is back to the couch for me." Kyle said smiling.
"Yes well we will have to talk to your dad about adding an addition to the house." Tess said.
"Would ya?" Kyle asked. The bell over the door rings as two men walk in both are in suits.
"Excuse me I have to go take their orders." I said walking over to the two men who were talking quietly.
"Hi welcome to the Crashdown can I get you something to drink?" I asked.
"Just water for me." The one man replied without looking up.
"Same." The other man replied only he looked up, when he was looking at me something weird happened to his eyes sort of like the look transgenics get when we recognize another transgenic.
"Sure coming right up." I said.
"Wow that man is hot." Maria said causing Michael to frown.
"I know you can see the muscles under his clothes." Isabel said causing Zack to get this funny look.
"He seems familiar some how." I said.
"I think he can hear us." Krit said as we all turn to see the guy laughing. The other guy was looking at him funny.
"I know I have seen him before." I said biting my lip this is really bugging me.
"Here are the waters." Maria said pushing me over to their table.
"You think you have seen me before?" The one man asked. This time I soak in his appearance I knew I had seen him before.
"You." I said causing the others to look our way.
"Fe'nos tol." The man growled.
"Form our ancestors. For our children's children." I said.
"For my father before me and for my sons." The man replied.
"For my mother before me and for my daughters." I said.
"So it is you." The man said.
"How did I know to say that? Why did I say that?" I asked.
"Because it was programmed into you at birth. It is in your genes like mine. You are not just a transgenic Liz you are a familiar." The man said. Oh this cannot be good.