Coaxing

After making their way from school, the five girls gathered at the junkyard as per Chloe's insistence. Her reasoning, however, she kept to herself. The afternoon sun was already starting to set, throwing the junkyard into a pleasantly shaded area as a warm breeze blew through, the setting perfect for Chloe and Victoria to hang out without any major discomforts.

"So, explain again, how is being in this filthy dump going to help us with our project for Jefferson?" Victoria moaned with an air of revulsion as she stood in the center of the clearing, refusing to join the other three girls who were leaning against an old blue station wagon.

"No idea, but there is usually a method to Chloe's madness. Besides, it's not that bad. A bit of dirt won't bite," the young hunter mused playfully. "Unlike you and Chloe."

"Ha, ha, SO not funny." Victoria narrowed her eyes at the blonde, motioning to her white cashmere. "Do you realize how much this sweater cost? I'm not getting it dirty just for some hair-brained idea, especially one Price has concocted."

"You could just take it off and leave it in the car. I'm guessing you're not too worried about your blouse," Kate suggested as she sat on the bonnet of the beaten station wagon.

Sighing reluctantly, Victoria unbuttoned her sweater. "Be back in a minute."

Kate turned to the other girls, "So, what IS Chloe's big idea?" she asked, half worried and half curious. Chloe's ideas were usually well out of her comfort zone, but she had to admit Chloe and Rach usually looked after her. Nothing bad had happened… yet, but that didn't mean it couldn't.

Rachel shrugged, just as in the dark as they were. "No idea. She's been tight-lipped about it all day... I couldn't even bribe it out of her," she responded, sounding a little putout.

"Dare I ask what the bribe was?" The words came out before Max could even stop herself.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" The hunter responded winking with a mischievous grin.

Max noticed that Kate had suddenly turned a light shade of pink, causing the young Ahri to groan, "I don't wanna know."

"You asked."

Before Max could respond, Chloe came out of the small makeshift den carrying two large crates that clinked and clanked as she walked up to them. Placing the crates on the ground next to the old car with a final clink, she looked at the three girls who each looked equally confused.

Rachel was the first to say something. "Err, Chloe?"

"I'll explain in a moment. Where's Torie gone?" Chloe craned her neck to see if she was behind them, just hidden out of view.

"She's just putting her sweater in the car, she doesn't want to ruin it," Kate revealed, explaining the situation."

Chloe shoved her hands into her pocket. "Fair enough. Bit of dirt never hurt anyone, though."

"While that's true, I happen to know what some of your hair brained schemes include. My cashmere is NOT being forfeited just for your kicks," Victoria replied coming back just in time to catch the tail end of the conversation, still skeptical about this idea.

"I wouldn't DREAM of making you offer up your overpriced sweater Torie. Not like you can't afford another half a dozen," Chloe retorted with a lopsided grin.

Victoria rolled her eyes for all to see. "Remind me why we're friends again."

Rachel was on hand with an answer to that query. "Because we're the only ones who'll hang around with you."

"Rachel, that was outta line," Max shot hotly.

"Relax, 'Sophie'," Rachel put a little too much emphasis on the name as if she was trying to subtly blackmail Max into submission. Victoria might not be best pleased to learn Max's true identity, aka the wolf who had nearly bitten her head off during the whole Nathan incident. She would find out eventually, but how was the question, "she knows we're just fucking with her. You think this is the first time Chloe's had a dig at her expensive wardrobe? It's just the way we are," she assured the young Ahri as she waltzed over to Victoria giving her a bear hug.

Swallowing her pride, Victoria withstood the hug instead of trying to resist. "Unfortunately, you're right, Rach... Do you know how hard it is to go from being number one to less than zero...? It's kinda depressing."

"Fuck those other guys, Torie. Besides they don't know how to have fun," Chloe shot as she retrieved an empty bottle from the crate and a small stone from nearby, tossing her the latter.

Catching the small stone, Victoria looked at it and then at the bluenette. "And what's this for?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

Chloe offered up a smirk, gently tossing the empty bottle from hand to hand. "Bet you your cashmere you can't hit this," she challenged tossing the empty bottle high into the air away from the group.

Victoria's eye's locked onto the bottle as is hurtled through the air. At the peak of its arc, she quickly flicked the stone towards it. A split second later, her effort was rewarded with the satisfying sound of smashing glass as the stone collided with its target. "I guess my cashmere is safe" she smirked, folding her arms playfully.

Max was thoroughly confused at the reason behind this little, seemingly pointless exercise. "So this is your idea, smashing up a bunch of bottles…? And what does this achieve?"

"I have to agree with Sophie on this one, although it's rather tame compared to what you usually come up with, I don't see the point. Not that I'm necessarily complaining." The last thing Kate wanted was to encourage the bluenette. She sure didn't need that.

"No vision… that's what you guys lack," Chloe sighed, Kate raising her brow questioningly in response. "Fine, here's my thinking. All the other groups are gonna be doing a basic copy and paste off each other. They will all have the same info just in a different order. We, on the other hand…"

"Have a secret weapon." Rachel grinned as she finally caught on to Chloe's way of thinking.

"Exactly," Chloe nodded. "We get to do what no other group can do. A side by side comparison, and a live demonstration to boot".

Victoria frowned. "Err, I guess I'm missing something here. What are you talking about?"

Hoping that this explanation would have come later, much later, Max remained silent while having a mini internal freakout. 'I knew something like this was coming…'

Noticing the apprehension, Akira stepped in. 'Relax, Maxipad. The chances of him finding out you're HERE are like a million to one. Besides, you need to let loose. Have a little fun.'

'Ugh, I HATE that name.'

'I won't use it again if you relax a little,' Akira promised, hoping Max would take the bait. 'You're surrounded by friends, you're as safe as you're gonna be.'

'It's not me I'm worried about..." Hesitating for just a second, she corrected herself. 'Well, ok I am a little, but you know how I feel.'

'I do, but you can't live in the shadows, Max. It's not healthy.' Max's internal discussion was interrupted by Chloe's overdramatic celebration upon hitting her own target provided by Rachel, who was already juggling another bottle in her hands waiting for a signal to throw.

Picking up another small stone, Chloe gently tossed it to Max. "Your turn, Sophie," she challenged, knowing full well Max couldn't throw to save her life. She never could, not that Chloe was interested in Max's stone throwing ability. She would get her childhood friend out of her shell, one way or another.

"You know I can't throw for shit," Max admitted flatly.

"Well, I guess that proves I let you win yesterday," Chloe baited.

Max gritted her teeth slightly at her friend's obvious bait, giving Rachel a firm nod she readied herself. She watched as the young hunter sent another glass bottle hurtling into the air. Biting her lip as she tried her best to line up the shot, she let the stone fly, letting out a depressed groan as she watched the stone miss by a large margin, and the glass bottle hit the dirt with a dull thud.

"Torie, you're up," Chloe said as nonchalantly as possible, a small smile tugging at her lips at the young Ahri's misfortune, tossing the blonde vampire another stone.

"I still don't get it," Victoria started as she hit her bottle just as easily as before. "The project is on the Ahri, and yet here we are, comparing vampires to humans in a stone throwing competition... although, I'm actually having fun for once," she reluctantly admitted.

Hitting her own target as before, Chloe tossed the young Ahri another stone. "You'll see, Torie. This is just a precursor, trust me."

"Last time I trusted you, I woke up with a hangover," Victoria smirked as she again hit her target.

"I did warn you it was strong stuff," Rachel defended tossing a bottle for Chloe, a satisfying smash indicating the bluenette had hit the target again.

Wanting to make it a little more interesting, Chloe tossed the next stone she found up in the air a few times. "Hey Rach, five bucks says Sophie doesn't even scratch the next one."

"You don't have two bucks, let alone five," Rachel countered cheekily as she sent another bottle hurtling through the air. "Besides, I don't make stacked bets… against myself, anyway. I might like taking risks but I'm not stupid."

Chloe watched as predictably, Max's stone sailed past the airborne bottle. "Swing and miss," she goaded, "couldn't hit the broadside of a barn."

Shooting the blue-haired vampire a scowl, Max picked up another stone. "Gimme another one, Rach."

Not one to back down, Chloe tried again. "Ok, I'll up the ante. Ten bucks says that bottle hits the dirt."

"Not a chance," Rachel chuckled as she sent the new bottle sailing through the air, with Max's stone missing yet again.

"Well, I think we can assume, Sophie's throwing skills..."

"Deal," Kate's voice cut Chloe off as a black orb shot through the air, smashing the bottle just a few feet off the ground, eliciting a shocked gasp off Victoria followed by a small giggle from Kate.

"What the…?" Victoria puzzled, still looking at where the glass bottle had been smashed, before following the black orb back to its owner. It turned blue as it came to rest on one of Max's tails. "Err, who…?" she mumbled looking at the young brunette Ahri now stood where the blonde Sophie had been literally seconds ago.

Giving an amused smirk, Rachel stepped forward and motioned towards Max. "Victoria Chase, meet Maxine Caulfield... Although you two have already met."

Victoria gave her a strange look, trying to place her. "I think I would remember meeting someone like her."

Not giving Max a chance to interrupt, Rachel pressed ahead. "True...You were MUCH closer when you met, and she had more teeth."

Victoria frowned as she stared at the young Ahri, who was nervously biting her lip. Her frown faded, eyes going wide as she slowly put things together. "It was you, the other night when Chloe got hurt. I thought you were gonna rip my head off."

Max nodded guiltily. "It was me, well, sort of. Akira went a little overboard."

'I have apologized for that,' Akira cut in.

The blonde vampire looked understandably bemused by the name. "Who?"

"Akira is... a three-thousand-year-old ghost that hangs out in Max's head," Rachel explained as casually as possible, like this made a lick of sense.

"Well, that didn't take as long as I thought it would," Chloe remarked as she ducked into the makeshift shelter, returning momentarily with a rucksack.

"Considering this is YOUR idea, you get to fill Victoria on why this has EVERY possibility to go FATALLY wrong. She does have the right to know why she could potentially end up dead after all," Max shot coldly at Chloe as she climbed up on the bonnet of the station wagon, sitting herself down while leaning against the windshield, her arms folding across her chest. More annoyed with herself for falling for Chloe's bait than anything else.

Not wanting Max to get overly pissed again, Akira tried to calm her down. 'You know, you're over reacting a little.'

'A little maybe, but she deserves to know just how bad it can get,' Max pointed out, although she had to admit, it felt nice not having to hide among friends.

"Hey, you owe me ten bucks, Chloe. Don't think I've forgotten," Kate reminded, trying to diffuse the suddenly tense situation. If things continued as they were, she could sense an oncoming headache.

"No, I don't, Max missed with the stone," the bluenette countered as stubborn as ever.

Kate shook her head. "You said, and I quote, 'ten bucks says that bottle hits the dirt'. Max took it out before it hit the ground."

Chloe just smirked. "Technically, the bottle hit the ground." Kate narrowed her eyes, giving her a scowl. "Come on, marshmallow, you know I ain't got it. However, I can offer one of these as compensation," she offered as she pulled out a bottle of orange aid, offering it to the short blonde.

Kate's scowl faded as a small smile appeared on her lips. "I'll accept your substitute... THIS time, Ms. Price," she playfully conceded, taking the offering and joining Max on the car bonnet.

"What does she mean by potentially ending up dead?" Victoria questioned as she took her own bottle of orange aid from Chloe leaning against the old car, cringing as she noticed her blouse now had dirt on it, then just shrugging.

"It's a long story, but I guess I'll give you the shorthand version," Chloe said as she offered Rachel and Max their own bottles of drink.

Leaning against the bonnet and taking a mouthful of her own drink Chloe retold Max's story to Victoria.

...

Victoria stood there listening as Chloe retold Max's story. At first, she couldn't believe what she was hearing, but one look at Max's expression, along with Kate's told her it was all true. Putting that together with what she had found out already, which admittedly wasn't much, and it painted a very grim future, one filled with uncertainty.

"And I thought I had problems," she chuckled wearily, offering Max a genuine smile.

"Yeah, you and me both. Problems much bigger than us, though," Chloe sighed, "that's why I organized all this."

Max frowned at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

Chloe passed the brunette a cheeky grin. "It's not JUST about our project, you ARE the project, Max."

"What? Now I'm confused." Max had no idea what she was getting at. Then again, that was nothing new.

Rachel let out a humorous sigh as she caught on. "Remember when I told you if she used her brain she'd be dangerous?"

Still not understanding, the frown deepened. "Yeah, but I still don't follow."

"Ooh, I get it," Kate exclaimed grinning. "Max, this... what Chloe's organized, it's for YOU, not us."

Seeing she was still lost as to what was going on, Chloe stepped up to the side of the car she was sat on. Taking one of the young Ahri's hands in her own she smiled, "Max, you've spent the best part of five years hiding, and you've gotten pretty good at it, but you know this is probably going to end in a fight."

Max let out a depressed sigh. "I know, it's one of the reasons I didn't want to come back. I don't want you guys getting caught in the crossfire."

"That's our choice to make, Max," Kate pointed out, placing a hand on her shoulder reassuringly.

"But getting back to the point, you've been cooped up for five years. This evening, you get to let loose, really stretch your legs and find out what you can do... As a by-product of that, we get info for the school project." Chloe smirked as she reached down into the crate beside her, withdrawing two empty bottles. "So, ya reckon you can hit two?"

'I like her way of thinking,' Akira chimed in, glad to see Max's friends thought along the same lines.

Max rolled her eyes, even though Akira wouldn't see the gesture. 'Should I get you two a room?'

'Well, aren't you getting sassy?' the elder Ahri replied, happy to see her vessel actually cracking a joke for a change instead of moaning about how unfair life was.

'It's the company I keep.' Handing her drink to Kate and scootching herself off the bonnet, Max stood in front of Chloe raising an eyebrow as she watched the bluenette juggle the two empty bottles. "Can you?" she challenged with a smirk.

"This isn't about me, is it," the bluenette reminded.

"You're right, it's not," turning to face Victoria, Max took a breath, "Akira apologizes, by the way. She's... a little protective, among other things."

'Hey, I resent that remark.'

'Don't try and deny it. Sometimes you wish you were in control,' Max replied to the playfully indignant comment.

'Aww, is little Max afraid I might make her blush?' Akira teased.

Letting out a soft sigh, Max stifled her mild annoyance. 'I so wish I could hit you sometimes.'

"Can she take over whenever she wants?" Victoria questioned, half-curious, half-concerned.

Max frowned a little, scrunching the side of her mouth. "I don't think so. Maybe, but she's only done it so far when I've frozen, or if I need a push, like my first kill... I would have probably starved myself before doing it."

Victoria took a few seconds to process all this. "Not sure if that's a comfort or a curse."

"I do wonder sometimes," Max smirked.

'Keep it up missy, and I won't talk to you for a week.'

'Oh, whatever shall I do?' Having a clear head for a week, no sarcastic comments each time she did literally anything, that might be a nice change.

"But now you know Victoria, I'm a walking death magnet. So, if you wanna walk away I'll totally understand." Max had to say this, otherwise, it wasn't fair. She already felt bad enough dragging them all into this as much as she had, let alone for the long haul.

"I know what it's like to have everyone avoid you... but I can't imagine what it's like to have to think you have to lock yourself away," Victoria said offering the young Ahri a smile as she walked over to Chloe taking the two bottles of her. "Come on Price, you're not gonna turn down a challenge, are you?"

...

possible break here

...

A few hours and many smashed bottles later...

Max's orb shot through the air emitting a bright glow as it hurtled towards the descending bottle. It turned a solid black as it plunged the area into darkness, a satisfying smash indicating that the bottle had met its end. The orb began glowing again, lighting the way as it zipped back to its resting place on Max's tail.

"Knew you'd get that third one eventually," Chloe praised, leaning against the old car wreck as she took a mouthful of her drink.

The young Ahri let herself collapse onto her backside in the dirt, not caring. Sweat made her shirt stick to her body as she tried to get her breath back, taking the bottle of drink Rachel offered. "Didn't think I'd get that last one if I'm honest."

"Must admit, it's a little mesmerizing watching you... And I don't think I'm the only one who thinks so," Rachel commented nodding at Kate who, as usual, was busy with her sketchpad.

"Looks like you've found your muse, Kate," Victoria added as she looked over the empath's shoulder, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips as she saw the drawing.

Bounding over and resting her head on Kate's shoulder, Rachel eyed up the picture. It was a black and white sketch of Max in a crouch. One of her tails swept forwards with her orb looking as its just been launched into the darkness. The light off it threw shadows of car wrecks and other large discarded items across the ground. "I think that's one of the best I've seen you draw."

"You know, you're supposed to wait till it's finished," Kate muttered as she put the final touches to her drawing.

"I'm sure it's fine, Kate," Chloe reassured as she grabbed another box from the den.

"More bottles?" Max asked wearily, eyeing up the box. "I think I'm at my limit for today, Chloe."

"Relax, Maxipad," Chloe smirked, the smirk turning into a grin as Max scowled at her, "no more bottle throwing. These aren't bottles anyhow," she stated, taking one out of the box, hold it up for the Ahri to see, a small jar with an unlit tea light inside.

"We don't exactly need lights, Chloe. I think Max has that covered," Victoria pointed out, motioning to the glowing orb resting on one of Max's tails as it lit up the area with its gentle glow.

Chloe shook her head, giving a very vague explanation of her plans. "These are for the final event, which I'm going to set up while Max recuperates a little."

Max raised an eyebrow at her blue-haired friend. "And what is the final event may I ask?" she enquired curiously.

"Well, Rachel here tells me your pretty fast... Buuut maybe you're too tired," Chloe playfully goaded.

The young Ahri let a small smile tug at her lips. "If I'm racing, it won't be like this," she replied motioning to herself.

"Well, I'll be about fifteen minutes setting this up. Should be enough for you to recover... you're gonna need it." And with that Chloe set off to mark out the racetrack.

Sitting on the bonnet of the wrecked car, Victoria watched as Max and Kate entered the small hideaway in order for Max to get changed. It was then she noticed Rachel passing wistful glances in their direction.

Wanting to get to the bottom of this, she decided to try her luck in getting the information she wanted. Rachel was a tough nut to crack, but Victoria did have some practice. "Well, there's a look I've not seen from you before."

The comment snapped Rachel back to reality. "Huh... sorry, was miles away."

Allowing herself a smile, Victoria shook her head. It was rare to catch Rachel so distracted. "I can see that... who is it?"

"Chloe, obviously," she replied without hesitation.

Victoria rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "That's obvious, but I also know you like Kate."

"That's not really a secret. I think the only person that doesn't know is Kate herself... She's so clueless, it's kinda adorable," Rachel chuckled.

There wasn't much point arguing with that fact. "That she is...What about Max? You gotta admit, there's a certain... appeal."

Her expression shifted to mild surprise. "Didn't know you were that way inclined."

That earned her a scoff. "I'm not, but doesn't mean I can't appreciate attractive people."

"Fair point," a mischievous glint entered Rachel's hazel eyes, "Maybe I can change your mind sometime."

The blonde vampire had to admire her flirtatious tenacity. "If I ever get curious, I'll make sure you're the first to know. Now, stop dodging the question."

"Sorry, there was a question in there?" Rachel feigned ignorance. She knew what Victoria was trying to do here. She would have to try a lot harder than that to get information out of her.

"Max, I saw you watching while she was hitting those bottles... In the same way you've watched Chloe when she's on her skateboard," Victoria replied in a mildly accusatory tone.

"You seem to be watching me a hell of a lot, Chase. Just saying." Getting an over-exaggerated eye roll from Victoria, she continued. "Doesn't really matter, Chloe would come before me any..." Rachel was cut off by Victoria holding her hand up upon hearing glass break under heavy footfalls.

Turing to face the noise, Rachel saw a figure approaching from the shadows. Shaggy uncombed hair, blonde goatee, wearing rugged blue jeans, black boots with a leather jacket. Her attention, however, was drawn to his eyes.

Victoria turned to the man, her stance neutral. "Hey, Frank, what brings you here?"

"Oh, hi Victoria... Rachel," he replied nodding at the young hunter, "Was passing by and heard a lot of shouting and laughing along with breaking glass, just came to see what the fuss was about."

Recalling Max's description of the vampire hunting her, Rachel leaning in closer to Victoria and whispered, "His eyes, Torie, they're purple."

"So?" she whispered back before the realization kicked in, "What's that gotta... shit."

Clearing her throat, Rachel decided to get to the bottom of this. "Um, Frank... what have you been taking?"

"Only the usual, bit of weed and my usual pill... Why you gonna tell me off again, mom?" he shot back playfully.

"That stuff doesn't usually do that to your eyes," she responded, wondering just what the hell he had taken this time.

"Huh, do what?" he replied confused, walking up to a nearby car crouching down to get a look in a cracked wing mirror, "What the fuck?"

"You didn't know?" Victoria cautiously pressed.

He frowned as he inspected the damage. "Do I look like I fucking knew?"

Deciding to trust him for now, Rachel tried to get more information. "Frank, where did you get whatever it was you took?"

"My usual man... although the delivery guy was different, dumb fuck musta gotten my shit mixed up with someone else's," he spat through gritted teeth as he slammed his fist through the wrecked car door, eliciting a gasp from the two girls, as well as a look of surprise on his own face.

"That's some serious shit you've taken, Frank," Victoria mumbled, not wanting to piss him off more.

"Frank... I need to ask this. Do you know who that came from?" If there was a chance he knew, they may be able to find out who was after the Ahri, and more importantly, Max.

"Nah, client confidentiality and all that shit, but I'm gonna be having words with my supplier. I don't like surprises," he growled getting to his feet. Letting out a sigh, he began walking back the way he came. "I'm gonna go sort this mess out, you girls look..." stopping suddenly he glanced towards the small brick hideout, his stance guarded, "I know you're in there, come out." Kate nervously exited the den, clutching Max's pendant which now hung around her neck. He frowned at her menacingly. "Who the fuck are you?"

"That's Kate, she's with us, Frank," Rachel reassured before he became too hostile.

"Any more surprises I should know about?" he growled clearly a little agitated. It was then that Max made her way out of the den, letting out a low growl and putting herself in between Kate and Frank. "Vanessa!" Frank questioned clearly surprised, Max ceasing her growl at the mention of her mother's name.

Rachel was almost as surprised as Max by what Frank had said. "Err, no it's not, Frank. It's…You knew Vanessa?"

"Ha, knew her, I used to go to school with her. Girl and her crew were always up to mischief," he revealed.

With Max unable to answer herself, Rachel clarified the situation. "Frank...Vanessa, she's dead. This is her daughter, Max."

For just a moment, Frank allowed his shock and sadness to show. "I'm... sorry to hear that. Hmph, didn't even know she had a daughter. She was a good friend, always seemed to have time to listen to people's problems."

"It's ok, Max, he's telling the truth," Kate reassured coming up to Max's side rubbing her shoulder.

He almost seemed angry at the insulation that he was making this up. "Of course I am, why would I lie?"

Now that he knew, they had to make sure he would keep this quiet. "Frank, you can't tell anyone about her. She... she's in trouble."

Frank raised an eyebrow. "What kind of trouble?"

"The kind that got her parents killed... and mine," Rachel managed shakily.

"You don't know your dad's dead, Rach. He could still be..." he hesitated when he saw her expression. Something had happened, anyone could tell.

Rachel shook her head as she wiped away the start of a tear threatening to spill over. "No, Frank, he's... gone. Max saw it with her own eyes."

"I'm sorry, Rachel..." he mumbled, not good with emotional stuff.

"It's not just Max who's in trouble. The Ahri are being hunted," Victoria added, trying to change the subject for Rachel's sake.

He seemed just as shocked as they had been discovering this plan. "Who would do that?"

"If and when we find out who, we plan on asking them," Rachel muttered bitterly.

"I'll be keeping my ears and eyes open for ya then. The Ahri don't deserve this, least not the ones I've met... does explain the lack of them though," Frank let out a sigh as he stared up at the night sky. "Something doesn't feel right around here lately. It's like the air is charged or summin'. You girls be careful, ok."

Over her moment of emotion, Rachel nodded firmly. "We will, and get whatever you've taken got rid of. Wherever it came from, it ain't good."

"Don't you worry about that, knowing its linked to… whatever is going on with the Ahri, I want no part of it," Frank assured her as he waved and took off into the woods.

Scooching herself off the car, Rachel made her way over to where Max and Kate were stood. "You ok, Max?" she asked kneeling in front of Max gently rubbing her furry cheek, eliciting a small nod from the wolf as she leaned into the hunter touch.

"Does that mean we can cross him off the suspect list?" Kate asked, rattled by the whole situation.

"I know Frank. He might have a bit of a temper, but… I dunno." Rachel couldn't see him doing it, but that didn't mean much.

Victoria stared at the spot where he had retreated into the forest. "Guess we just have to watch our backs from now on."

As for Max, she didn't know what to think. The purple eyes… those were enough to keep her on edge. She wasn't the only one exercising caution. Akira too was uncertain what to make of Frank. Aside from the eyes, a seemingly easy thing to explain as a coincidence, there was no evidence of him being related. Equally, aside from him knowing Vanessa at one time or another, there was no reason to trust him.

'I'd agree with Victoria on this one, Max,' Akira finally said.

'Yeah, me too. You never can be too careful,' Max agreed, not wanting to risk it. Everyone was a suspect, current company excluded.