MITOCHONDRION EPIDEMIC
By: Stiltzkin
Author's Note: Sorry for getting this posted up so late. I've been busy with a million different things most of them miserable. You probably know the drill: school, work, life, same old same old. I've also been working on other series that I'm presently writing.
Firstly, I like to apologize in advance for the lack of action in this chapter, but it's compensated with chalk full off suspense (or at least I think so). This chapter is mostly to advance the plot. I promise more action in the next chapter. Secondly, I have trouble with the situation and formation of the four story lines in this chapter because they are in three different time frames. French Standard Time (FST), Eastern Standard Time (EST), and Pacific Standard Time (PST) that have a six-hour and three-hour difference respectively.
I thought of relating all the time zone into one neutral time zone, i.e. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), but that made the story out of sync. People would be going to work in what seemed like the middle of the afternoon, so to prevent confusion I decided against it and have the four threads in their respective time zones and continue the story chronologically. Enjoy.
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CHAPTER FIVE: FIRST IMPRESSIONS.
Brea's Suite, Grand Hôtel Concorde
Lyons, France
July 16, 2003, 06:00 FST
Aya buried her head deeper within her covers, she felt safe within its confines. The rays of the rising sun slowly creep through her window, slowly announcing the inevitable - the morning. The phone on her nightstand rang. She grunted and answered the phone on its third ring.
"Hello?" She tiredly greeted.
"Mademoiselle Hunter, this is your wake up call for six in the morning."
"Thank you." She thanked the porter.
"De rien!" The porter replied hanging up the phone.
Aya sat up on her bed leaning against the headboard. The morning larks were singing their melodic songs soothing her tired body. Aya closed her eyes allowing their song to rejuvenate her essence. In the past three days she had spent more time traveling than battling Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures. She just wanted to rest for five more minutes. 'Just five more.' She sighed.
Being jetlagged was just the tip of her problems. She was overstressed, overworked, and felt under-appreciated. She had a million things going on in her mind, so many things she wanted to address in her life, but those concerns had to be put aside for the time being. There were greater matters to attend to first.
Aya took a deep sigh. She looked at the phone and stared at it thinking. She picked up the phone and pressed a series of numbers. The phone rang twice before it was answered. "Room Service."
"Yeah. I like some coffee and a buttered croissant for breakfast." Aya asked. "Oh, and please leave it outside." Aya added.
"It'll be right up."
"Thank you." Aya expressed her gratitude. She headed towards the lavatory to start her day. She had a feeling that it will be a long one.
Interpol Headquarters
Lyons, France
09:00 FST
Inspector Rene Tibeaudeaux tried to make small talk en route to Interpol Headquarters, but Aya was uncommunicative. She was occupied with the thoughts of her relationship, or lack of, with Kyle Madigan. 'He's right.' Aya thought. 'I didn't really trust him.'
Aya always had a hard time trusting people; it started when she was young. To no fault of her own, she was the sole survivor of a fatal car accident where her mother and older sister died. That was the day where she first became suspicious of everyone; it was the first day she lost her trust in people.
Living in an orphanage didn't help either; one perspective parent would promise to adopt her, but ultimately turned her down because of her "older" age or other supercilious reasons, this facilitated her feeling of mistrust. Moving from foster home to foster home further jaded her trust; it made her feel like dispensable chattel. Promises were constantly broken and so was her fragile heart. At an early age she learned that she could only trust herself.
Perhaps, that's why she wanted to become a police officer, she wanted people to trust her, and she had to know that she could trust herself. It was all going well, until one fateful Christmas day in 1997 where her mitochondria were awakened. The liberation of her parasitic powers build or strengthen some bridge of trust like it did with Daniel Dollis, but it burned more burned more bridges then it built.
"We're here." Tibeaudeaux announced stopping the car.
Aya looked at Interpol Headquarters and was surprised with its openness exterior. Aya had thought that being a World Intelligence agency that it would be intrusive and uninviting, but she was glad that she was wrong. It rather looked like the United Nations with International flags all over the place
"Coming?" Tibeaudeaux asked.
Aya came out of her trance. "Yeah." Aya got out of the car and followed her new partner. 'I must keep my mind on my duty.' Aya reminded herself.
"Are you all right?" Tibeaudeaux asked.
Aya looked into Tibeaudeaux's eyes and in that split second she knew that she didn't trust him, not yet any ways. "I'm fine." Aya lied. "Just tired."
"That's understandable." Tibeaudeaux sighed.
He led Aya through the foyer towards a tall Caucasian man with forest green eyes and short brown hair. "Rene." He smiled shaking his hand.
"Logan." Tibeaudeaux smiled. "May I introduce Hunter...I'm sorry I don't even know your name." Tibeaudeaux asked embarrassingly. He felt guilty, like he had a one-night stand with her.
"Hunter would suffice." Aya sighed. "Nice to meet you..."
"Head Inspector Logan Savage." He replied flabbergasted. "Forgive me, I thought Hunter would be a man." He said shaking her hand.
"Most men do." Aya replied directing a smile to Tibeaudeaux.
"Ah, has Rene put his foot in his mouth again?" Savage asked.
"Does he do that often?"
"Perpetually." Savage smiled. "I have heard reports that he was born with his foot in his mouth."
"Logan." Tibeaudeaux quietly scolded. Aya chuckled silently to herself. "Could we start with Hunter's training?" He asked changing the subject.
"Of course." Savage smiled. He went into his inner breast pocket and pulled out a firearm. "Welcome to Interpol Inspector Hunter." He smiled. "Your badge would be given to you when your orientation is complete." Savage informed.
"Thank you." Aya smiled to herself.
"You're welcome." Savage smiled. "Right this way for your orientation and training." Savage led them further into the complex.
Dollis' Residence
New York, New York
06:00 EST
Eve Brea snuggled deeper into her comforter trying to get a few minutes more of sleep. It was a difficult task to achieve. The scent of eggs, hash browns, bacon, and coffee slowly trickled into her room, tempting her to face the approaching morning. 'That does it.' Eve thought. The aroma of breakfast cooking was too much of a temptation for her.
She surrendered to the morning and put on a robe. She opened the door and was surprised to see Ben sleeping on the couch. She had forgotten that Ben offered her his room. 'He's sleeping so soundly.' She was tempted to wake him, but she ultimately decided against it.
The scent of breakfast was still calling her name; she slowly navigated through the dark living room and entered the small, humble kitchen. "Good morning Mr. Dollis." Eve greeted.
"Good morning Eve." Daniel Dollis smiled. "I didn't expect you to be up so early." Daniel said putting a plate of breakfast before her.
"Thank you." Eve smiled. "Yeah, I don't usually sleep in." Eve sighed. "I'm usually up at dawn."
"I don't blame you." Daniel smiled. "You stayed up very late with my son." Daniel hinted.
Eve's face slightly blushed. "We...we were just talking." She defended.
"I know." Daniel smiled. "It's all right for you to talk to him." He reassured taking a sip of his coffee. "I've never seen my son so happy."
"Speaking of which, when does he get up?" Eve said looking out into the living room.
"My son?" Daniel chuckled to himself. "Ben being up before noon during his summer holidays is the perfect definition of a oxymoron." He smiled taking another sip of his coffee.
"What did you call me dad?" Ben said entering the kitchen. "A moron? How insensitive of you." Ben sarcastically said making his own plate of breakfast.
"Actually he called you an oxymoron." She defended nervously. "It's a figure of speech that combines two usually contradictory terms in a compressed paradox, as in the word bittersweet..." Eve stuttered nervously.
"Calm down Eve." Ben smiled. "I know what the word means." He reassured. "I'm sure dad is just surprised to see me up before lunch." He smiled taking a sip of his orange juice.
"Oh, so you heard our conversation." Eve said embarrassed by her outburst.
"Yeah." Ben smiled. "Pass the ketchup please?"
"So son." Daniel said with a taunting sound in his voice. He couldn't help, but to cave to the urge of embarrassing his son. "Tell me why you're up so early, is it because of Eve?" Her name was hardly audible from the sudden surge of pain. He looked towards his son who gave him a 'don't you dare or I'll kill you' stare. He realized that his son kicked him in the shin.
Ben quickly turned to Eve and smiled trying to cover his hint of embarrassment. Eve was clueless to what just transpired. "I thought I'd buy Rupert a birthday present." Ben quickly said to bridge the uncomfortable moment.
"That's very thoughtful of you, but unnecessary." Rupert Broderick said waltzing into the kitchen. He was dressed in his typical suit and tie, ready for work.
"Well, only if you're sure." Ben said quickly taking back his offer. The last thing he wanted to do was to buy a birthday present for someone he hardly knew. "So where are you two going today?" Ben asked Eve.
"Oh." Daniel said. "They're going to work." The last word was inaudible from another surge of pain. Someone has kicked him in the shin again. He looked around the kitchen table, first at Ben and then at Eve. She was bearing the same look as his son was a few moments ago.
Eve looked at Ben to see his expression. He was clueless to what just happened. "Oh, you know we're going to the usual tourist sights." Eve stuttered anxiously.
"We are?" Rupert sounded surprised. Eve gave him a sharp look, he understood. "We are." He smiled at the young Dollis sitting down drinking his orange juice. "By the way, where's Kyle?" Broderick asked finally noticing that there was one person missing from the table.
"I don't know." Daniel sighed. "He didn't come home last night." He said finishing off his coffee. "His bed has been untouched."
"Hmm." Broderick sighed curiously. "I wonder where he is."
Madigan Suite, Grand Hyatt Washington
Washington, District of Columbia
06:00 EST
Kyle Madigan watched the steam from his coffee danced its way into the air as he contemplated his present predicament. The translucent mist slowly danced upward reaching its apex and then disappearing into nothingness. He wished that his problems would do the same. 'Oh no!' He sighed. Madigan just realized that he picked up this particular idiosyncrasy from Aya.
'Why can't I stop thinking about her?' Madigan thought to himself. "It's because you still love her." He told himself taking a sip of his coffee. "I just wish she felt the same way about me." He sighed. Madigan looked at his untouched Continental Breakfast - it was cold. 'Why did I order this?' He thought to himself. Thinking about the situation with Aya made him lost his appetite.
His mind was in a constant flux between the matters of his heart and those pertaining to business. 'I wonder why Mole wants with me? And why now?' He thought. Madigan has never met Mole, but he trusted this informant from the past information that he had provided for his previous investigations.
His gaze was interrupted. In his peripheral vision he caught a small manila envelope slide under his door. Madigan quickly rushed towards the door and look down both halls to see who had dropped by. The person was gone. He swore to himself closing the door. He picked up the envelope on the floor and opened it.
Kyle Madigan quickly read the simple note held within. Like the note he received yesterday, this note was written by letters cut out from different parts of a magazine.
waShInGtOn MoNuMenT
NoOn
"The plot thickens." Madigan sighed returning to his untouched breakfast.
F.B.I. Headquarters
Los Angeles, California
04:00 PST
Special Agent Pierce Carradine typed furiously away on his computer - he was a man obsessed. He has been up all night, called in many favours, promised many things, and broke many confidence in order to find this shadow project that Hal told him about. 'Nothing.' He swore to himself. This was a challenge worthy of his talents. "I know you're here somewhere." Carradine said to himself.
He was an obsessed man on a mission; he was so mesmerized with his mission that he didn't hear Special Agent Jodie Bouquet entering the quiet office. She saw Carradine madly typing away on his computer. She smiled to herself shaking her head. 'Boys and their toys.' She sighed to herself. Bouquet quietly approached the busy Carradine.
The subtle hand resting on his shoulder was a surprise to him that he turned around ready to defend himself. Bouquet leaned back gracefully avoiding his punch. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Bouquet asked.
"I'm sorry." Carradine sighed. "I thought you were an intruder."
"A little paranoid aren't you?" Bouquet asked.
"Justifiably so." Carradine sighed ominously. "As you know, Baldwin asked me to find a shadow project that may be occurring within the National Centre of Mitochondrion and Studies."
"I know I was there with you." Bouquet rudely interrupted. "Did you find anything?"
"Yeah." Carradine sighed. "One of my informants in the C.I.A. gave me a name: Project Gilgamesh." Carradine sighed. "An hour later he mysteriously disappeared."
Bouquet finally realized why Carradine was so jumpy. "Are you sure?" Bouquet asked. "How do you know?"
"Let's just say I have more than one informant in the C.I.A." Carradine replied mysteriously.
"I'm sorry." Bouquet sympathized.
Carradine was shocked; he has rarely seen Bouquet compassionate, at least towards him. "Thanks." He sighed cautiously. "As least I know one thing." He sighed returning to his work.
"What is that?"
"I'm on the right track." Carradine continued typing trying to forget what had happened to one of his informants. "Why are you here so early?" Carradine asked turning around in his chair. He realized that it was uncustomary for Carradine to be at work this early.
"I knew that you wanted this when it came in." Bouquet said handing over a package to Carradine.
"What is it?"
"It's the salivary excretion of the Class C Neo-Mitochondrion Creature that Rupert wanted us to test."
Carradine quickly ripped up the packaging. "What took so long?"
"The boys down in the laboratory said there were some complications over the results, so they ran the test again and again." Bouquet sighed.
"Rightfully so." Carradine said mysteriously looking at the results.
"What is it?" Bouquet asked. Carradine handed over the report for her to read. "I'm sorry, I didn't take freshman biology." Bouquet confessed.
"Oh." Carradine sighed. "Here let me show you." He said returning to his computer. He quickly minimized his work and typed ferociously to load up a new program. "This is the typical deoxyribonucleic acid found here on Earth and this is the one just analyzed by our scientists." Carradine demonstrated on his computer.
Bouquet gasped in awe. "It's twice as complicated then ours." It was the only thing she could say.
"That's an euphemism if I ever heard one." Carradine sighed. "This is the D.N.A. found on our planet, it's based on a double helix model with four base pairs." Carradine said pointing to the model on the left. "And this is the D.N.A. of the mitochondria found in our Extra-Neo-Mitochondrion Creature, it is based on a triple helix model with six base pairs." Carradine sighed.
"Of course, it makes senses." Bouquet said as an epiphany hit her.
"What make sense?"
"Do you remember when Aya told Hal that her .44 Maeda bullets were ineffective on Smith?" Bouquet reminded.
"Yeah, so?"
"Well those bullets were engineered six years ago by Kunihiko Maeda containing toxic anti-mitochondria poison that was based on this double helix model." Bouquet started to explain.
"Of course." Carradine cursed silently to himself. "The bullets would be ineffective against the extra-terrestrial D.N.A. based on the triple helix model."
"Right." Bouquet smiled. "We have to re-engineered these bullets to the triple helix model." Bouquet pointed out. An uneasy silence fell in the room when the revelation was revealed. "What should we do?" Bouquet asked. "Should we contact Hal?"
"After we contact Dr. Maeda." Carradine sighed. "What time is it in Tokyo?"
"What time is it now?"
"Four thirty." He replied quickly turning on the video camera on his computer monitor.
"Twenty one thirty." Bouquet answered. "You know you're going to get in trouble with Hal without consulting him first."
"Yeah. I know." Carradine sighed. "I rather take the lecture and punishment than waiting hours if not days to get this information to Japan."
"I don't understand."
"Through official channels we have to give this report to Hal, which in turn he have to give the same information to the Director of the Bureau and in turn report to the President to call the Japanese President who then has to call Dr. Maeda. This way I'm cutting out four middlemen." Carradine sighed as he quickly dialled the number on his computer and after a few rings a Japanese scientist came on the monitor.
"Hello, what do you want?" The tired, overworked scientist asked.
"We like to speak to Dr. Kunihiko Maeda please?" Carradine politely asked.
"He's busy, may I ask who's calling?"
"Special Agents Carradine and Bouquet of the F.B.I. tell Dr. Maeda that we have imperial data that could help him with the modification of his anti-mitochondria bullets needed for the Mitochondrion Epidemic." The scientist stared at them with awe. The Japanese scientist couldn't believe that a couple of Americans could solve their riddle that a team of Japanese scientist couldn't. "Do you want our data or not?" Carradine asked feeling a little impatient.
The Japanese Scientist yelled a couple of phrases into the air. "He'll be right with you." The scientist said malignantly. He left and moments later an exhausted man, pale, thin, with dark bags under his eyes. "Doctor Maeda?"
"Yes." Sighingly he took off his glasses and started rubbing his eyes.
"We're..."
"I know who you are." Maeda sighed. "If you don't mind skipping through the introductions. I have about ten governments wanting my head if I don't produce results any time soon. I'm sorry for being rude, but I have been up for the last four days trying to figure why my anti-mitochondria bullets don't work." Maeda said all in one breath.
Carradine felt sorry for Maeda, he has the world on his shoulders and lives were being lost if he couldn't figure out this problem with his ammunition. "I'm sending you our data right now." Carradine said transferring all his data through his computer. "Your ammunition is based on a double helix model, but recently we discovered that the extra-terrestrial biological mitochondria that invaded the terrestrial cells of the Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures are triple helix in nature."
Maeda cursed with awe. "No wonder why my bullets weren't working." He had a huge grimace on his face. "Thank you for helping, this solves everything." He was so excited that he attempted to leave.
"Sir!" Bouquet interrupted. "When could we get these re-engineered bullets?"
Maeda sighed and thought of a conservative number. "Testing, manufacturing, and shipping the bullets would be done anywhere between forty-eight to seventy-two hours. If you don't mind, the more time I talk here..."
"Understood." Carradine said. "God speed." He said turning off his camera.
He sighed looking at Bouquet. "So what do we do now?" Bouquet sighed.
"We'll talk to Hal." Carradine sighed.
"No." Bouquet said forcing Carradine back into his chair. "I'll call Baldwin and you'll get back to your work. That's an order." Bouquet said sarcastically stressed the last part of her statement.
"Yes ma'am." Carradine smiled sarcastically returning to his work. Bouquet left hearing the fury of Carradine typing.
F.B.I. Headquarters, J. Edgar Hoover Building
Washington, District of Columbia
08:00 EST
Assistant Director Eric Baldwin waited patiently outside Director Louis Freeh's office, which normally he would mind, but since his arrival was unannounced and the news he had received earlier by Agent Jodie Bouquet gave him some relief that he had this time to think. 'How am I going to question Louis about what I know?' Baldwin thought.
The news of the triple helix alien mitochondria D.N.A. was a breakthrough in the extermination of Extra-Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures plaguing the planet. That feeling of scientific victory was dwarfed by the news of Project Gilgamesh. His fears were confirmed that there was a shadow project within a shadow project at the National Centre of Mitochondrion and Studies.
"The Director would see you now." His secretary announced.
"Thank you." He smiled politely and crossed the threshold of Freeh's office. He was hard at work reading the mountainous reports that lay on his table. Baldwin stood there for a moment waiting for his friend to look up from his reports. Giving up, he cleared his throat signifying his presence.
"Oh, Hal." Freeh looked up from his papers. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in." He apologetically smiled getting up from his seat. "Please sit." He offered the chair across from him.
"Thank you, Louis." He smiled sitting. "I'm sorry for my unannounced visit."
"That's all right." Freeh smiled. "What are you doing here?"
"I hate to give you more paperwork." Baldwin sighed. "But here." He handed him a report.
"What is it?"
"It's the analysis of the saliva retrieved from the Extra-Neo-Mitochondrion Creature at Dr. Smith's office earlier yesterday." Baldwin sighed.
"Is this the genetic code of..."
"It's a preliminary report, but it's sufficient for reengineering our Maeda bullets to this model."
"This is great." Freeh gasped. "I'll report this to the president at once. This information should be in Japan within hours." Freeh smiled.
"Actually my agents have already contacted Dr. Maeda in Japan."
"What?" Freeh gasped.
"They would be discipline accordingly." Baldwin reassured.
"I should hope so." Freeh exasperated. "There are procedures that must be followed to run an efficient nation." Freeh sighed. It's not like he believed what he said whole-heartedly, some days he doesn't, but he did hate it when people go over his head. "Thank you for the report, but you didn't have to deliver this report personally, so tell me what brings you here?"
Baldwin sighed and contemplated how he should proceed. He couldn't figure a way to ask his friend what's been plaguing his mind, so he fired his question without tact. "What is Project Gilgamesh?"
Freeh's mouth dropped at hearing the name. "Where did you hear the name?"
"I have my sources."
"Which are probably dead or missing now." Freeh sighed.
Baldwin's heart dropped. He has never known his friend to exaggerate anything, so when he said that his informants are either dead or missing, he believed him. "What's going on Lou?" He asked hesitantly.
"It's better that you don't know. My career is over, but yours is just beginning."
"I'm the director of the Mitochondrion Investigation and Suppression Team, the précis of my duties states that I know everything that happens within my jurisdiction." Baldwin said with a hint of anger.
"This meeting is over." Freeh said heading to the door and opened it.
"Louis this meeting may be over, but my investigation is not." Baldwin warned getting up.
"Hal, don't." Freeh stopped Baldwin before he crossed the threshold. "If you dig any further I may not be able to protect you when or if this is exposed." Freeh warned.
"I am within my rights." Baldwin said adamantly. "If you want to stop me, you'll have to arrest me."
"Hal, as a friend I beg you to leave this alone."
"And as a friend you know that I can't give this up. Now am I under arrest?"
"No." Freeh said above a whisper.
"Thank you." Baldwin said leaving the office.
"Good luck friend." Freeh said to himself. "Get me the President on the phone." He said to the secretary. "Tell him it's urgent." He said still gazing at the horizon.
N.Y.P.D. 17th Precinct
New York, New York
09:00 EST
Dollis, Broderick and the younger Brea entered the police precinct, the new field centre for the Bureau's Mitochondrion Investigation and Suppression Team. The office was busy with updates with Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures sightings all over the city and the ambient sounds of phone ringing.
"Report." Dollis replied getting straight to business.
"Smith is still a no show." Garcia sighed. "There are several sightings of minor Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures all over the city, but most of the calls are false unfortunately."
"Well that is to be expected." Eve sighed. "Looking over the map of New York City." It was a lot bigger than she thought it would be.
"And you are?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, the name's Agent Nimrod, I'm here to replaced Agent Brea while she's abroad with Interpol." She smiled sticking out her hand.
"You're kidding." Garcia smiled trying really hard to contain his laughter. "You can't be a day over fifteen." He mocked.
"No, she's serious." Dollis sternly replied.
"But Bo, she..."
"I think there are more important matters at hand than those running through your mind." Dollis raised his voice a little louder than he would have liked.
"Aye sir." Garcia sighed returning to the map. "The phones were ringing off their hooks all day since the media leaked the presence of Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures were on the loose." He picked up the phone and answered it.
"What's your plan?" Dollis asked.
Eve looked at Broderick wondering the same thing. "I think we should follow up with Smith's parents and his girlfriend." Broderick sighed. "Could your team manage these small outbreaks while we continue our investigation?"
"Yeah." Garcia sighed hanging up the phone. "That is if we can tell which calls are real and which are false." He exasperated.
"Maybe I should go with them, because of my..."
"No." Broderick replied interrupting Eve's sentence. She blushed embarrassingly because she almost gave up classified information of her biological status. "Remember our primary mission is to find Smith and eradicate him." He clarified their purpose in New York. "Exterminating Class D Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures is third in our list of priorities." Broderick mumbled underneath his breath.
"Third?" Garcia asked with concern.
"Our second priority is classified." Eve replied. "Could we have your notes and addresses for Smith's parents and his girlfriend?" She replied trying to be professional.
"I'll get it." Garcia sighed walking towards a filing cabinet pulling out a file. "There you go." He smiled giving the file to Broderick.
"All right." Broderick sighed, reading through the report. "Smith's parents live right here in the city and his girlfriend lives in Brooklyn." He sighed. "This should keep us busy for most of the morning." Broderick sighed.
"We'll keep the fort at the ready until you return." Dollis smiled. "God Speed." He wished extending his hand.
"Thank you." Broderick smiled. "Same to you. Com'on we better be going." He said to his protégé.
"Yeah, could you give me a minute?" Eve sighed. "I like to talk to Captain Dollis for a moment." She said looking at the captain.
"Sure." Broderick sighed. "Don't take too long." He said leaving.
"So you wanted to talk to me?"
"In private." She stressed trying not to draw attention to herself.
"Sure, in my office." Dollis sighed leading the way towards his office. He took his customary seat behind his desk and waited until Eve closed the door taking her seat. "Look if you wanted to talk about Wayne Garcia, don't worry, he'll take your orders, and he's a good cop, but a hothead and talks before he thinks." He rambled on.
"No it's not that." Eve sighed. "I could handle Officer Garcia. I wanted to apologize for kicking your shin this morning."
"I understand." Dollis sighed. "It's just that I thought you told Ben what you did." He pointed out.
"How would I tell him?" She asked rhetorically. "Hi my name is Eve, I'm a clone infused with enhanced mitochondria, the same mitochondria that liquefied your mother six years ago." Eve sighed sarcastically. "I wanted to tell him, but it's so hard." Eve sighed.
Dollis sighed carefully thinking how he should proceed with this discussion. "The last thing I want is to see my son hurt." Dollis said with concern.
"Me too." Eve confessed. "I really like your son..."
"Oh?" Dollis teased.
Eve blushed at what she just said. "It's nothing like that...I think he's nice. In all my life I've been secluded from the outside world and my only friends were F.B.I. agents about twice my age. Ben is my first and only friend my age...I just didn't want to lose that."
Dollis took a deep breath and sighed. "I guess I understand, but my son deserves the truth." He sighed. "That's the funny thing about lies they come out revealing themselves sooner or later." Dollis pointed out.
"Yeah." Eve sighed. "I hated deceiving your son, but I would like to tell him in my own time." She pointed out.
"All right."
"So do you have any idea how I would tell him?"
"No." Dollis sighed.
Eve sighed. "I've better get going." She said getting up.
"Yeah I see you tonight." Dollis said getting up. "Have a good day."
"Thanks." Eve smiled leaving the captain's office to start her day.
Washington Monument
Washington, District of Columbia
12:00 EST
Kyle Madigan stood in front of the pool before the Washington Monument. The sun was high in the sky casting its beautiful radiance unto the Washingtonian landscape. It was a busy place at noon, several governmental officials, tourist, and citizens just running around casually without a fear in the world. While in New York City, not too far away from Washington D.C., hell was breaking loose. Armageddon was coming and these people didn't know or worse didn't care about it.
He looked at his watch and saw that it was noon. 'Where is he?' He sighed looking around the busy square. 'What the hell am I doing here?' He thought walking towards a nearby bench and sat with the view of the Washington Monument behind him.
Madigan heard someone sitting beside him and looked to the person, a man reading his newspaper had recently sat down beside him. He smiled to the stranger and returned his attention scanning the horizon for his informant.
"Looking for eagles?" The stranger asked nonchalantly.
Madigan's heart jumped at the question. "I'm actually looking for moles." He replied still looking into the horizon.
"Moles don't come out in the day. They're nocturnal creatures." He replied. Madigan turned to him and studied him. "I'm his representative." He said under his breath.
"What's this all about?" Madigan replied coldly. He returned his attention back to the crowds pretending to wait for someone, just in case they were being watched.
"Your trust has to be earn before Mole is willing to meet you." He said.
"This is ridiculous." Madigan sighed. "I'm leaving."
"Do you want to know what's going on or don't you? It deals with your girlfriend's well being and a conspiracy at the highest levels of the government." The stranger said boldly. That stopped Madigan in his flight.
"She's no longer my girlfriend." Madigan exasperated, sitting back down.
"I'm sorry."
"What do you want me to do?" Madigan said wanting to forget the recent events in his relationship.
"Mole wants you to infiltrate the Bureau and steal some files."
"You what?!?" Madigan's voice was surprisingly louder than he wanted it.
"Keep your voice down Mr. Madigan." The stranger replied calmly. He half expected Madigan to lose his temper. "We don't want to draw attention now do we?"
"No of course not." Madigan sighed. "In order for me to steal these files, I need to break into Bureau Headquarters first. Security is as tight as the Pentagon or the White House." Madigan reported.
"Mole would give you the false identification needed so you could get into the Bureau through the front doors." The stranger sighed. "We will provide you with an authentic identification and badge with an issue Bureau firearm."
"Sounds easy enough." Madigan sighed. "What's in the files?" Madigan asked casually.
"That Mr. Madigan is on a need to know basis and you don't need to know right now." The stranger sighed over his newspaper. "Does that bother you?"
"Yeah." Madigan sighed. "If I'm going to commit treason, I like to know what and why I'm doing this?" Madigan pointed out.
"That's why it's a test of loyalty, of trust Mr. Madigan." The stranger sighed. "Mole needs to know that he could trust you, by doing this favour of his you'll have it." The stranger added. "So what is it going to be Mr. Madigan are you going trust Mole and possibly betray your country? If not, then this meeting ends here."
"I need some time to think this through." Madigan sighed.
The representative sighed and thought it through. "All right." He finally replied. "You have until midnight to make up your mind. If you accept meet me at the northeast corner of where your hotel is situated and if I don't see you there at midnight sharp, then I'll assume that you turned Mole down and this conversation never took place." He said quickly folding his newspaper and dashed into the perpetual changing labyrinth of people.
"Wait." Madigan quickly followed, but lost him in the crowd of people. "Damn." He swore to himself.
Brea's Suite, Grand Hôtel Concorde
Lyons, France
20:00 FST
'What a day?' She sighed throwing her jacket on the bed. She had spent the last eight hours in a boardroom having orientation. 'The world is going to Hell in a hand-basket and I spent the whole day in meetings.' She sighed with frustration raiding the mini-bar in her hotel. Aya understood the need to be aquatinted with Interpol protocols and procedures, but she never wanted to spend the whole day in boring meetings.
Aya took out a small bottle of scotch and quickly too a sip. "You think twelve dollar scotch would taste better." She sighed putting the bottle down. 'I wonder how Eve and Rupert are doing? I wonder what Kyle is doing now?' She sighed finishing her drink. 'I wonder what time is it in New York.' Aya sighed. 'Let's see...it's eight here and there is a six hour difference...so it should be two in the afternoon.' She thought picking up the phone.
N.Y.P.D. 17th Precinct
New York, New York
14:00 EST
Wayne Garcia was starting to hate the sound of the phone ringing. For the last five hours he has been on a wild goose chase all over Manhattan Island trying to catch phantom calls. There were, at times genuine calls about Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures, but those calls were few and sparse.
A couple of hours ago at noon, Commissioner Douglas Baker had announced to the public not to flood the police with false Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures sightings, because it would halt the police in helping those that really needed their help. The calls started to wind down.
"M.I.S.T. Central, Garcia speaking." He answered bitterly.
"Hey Wayne!" Aya greeted with enthusiasm. "It's Aya in France, how's it going?" She asked.
"Terrible." He sighed. "I've been chasing ghosts all day." Garcia answered. "But don't mind me, how are you?"
"Tired." Aya responded. "I was wondering if Agents Broderick or Nimrod is there?" She asked. "I tried calling them at Bo's, but Ben said that they were still out, so I thought they might be here." She sighed.
"No they've been out all morning." Garcia sighed. "Wait a minute, he just walked in." Garcia interrupted seeing the black F.B.I. agent walking in. "Hey Broderick!" He yelled. "It's Aya, she's on the phone for you." He said holding the receiver for him.
"Thanks." Broderick smiled. "Hey Aya, how's it going?"
"Things could be better." Aya sighed. "I've been stuck in meetings all day."
"How's the birthday boy?"
"Old." Broderick sighed.
"Oh, I doubt that."
"Well gallivanting all over the city with a partner that could be my daughter tires you out quickly." Broderick sighed.
Aya suppressed a giggle. "How's Eve doing on the first day on the job."
"Okay, considering..." He sighed.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing." Broderick sighed. "It's just that no one takes her seriously because of her age." He sighed.
"Oh, that's gotta be tough." Aya sighed. "Is she there? I like to cheer her up." She sighed with sisterly concern.
"No, she went downstairs to the shooting gallery to let out some steam. I could get her if you like?"
"No that's okay." She sighed. "Do you know where Kyle is?" She hesitantly asked. "I tried calling his mobile but he's not picking up."
"No he hasn't slept in his bed last night. Do you want me to tell him to call you when I see him?"
"No that's okay." Aya yawned. "I better get some sleep. Well I just called to wish you a Happy Birthday." Aya sighed. "So Happy Birthday."
"Thanks."
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing much." Broderick sighed. "I'm going out to dinner with Daniel Dollis tonight. I think he wants to talk about the good old days." He sighed.
"Well have fun. Gotta go."
"Take care." He said hanging up the phone.
* * * * * * * * * *
Eve always felt better releasing her frustration shooting over an inanimate piece of cardboard. She let out six shoots hitting the target perfectly at the heart at the furthest distance the gallery allowed her too. With each shot a piece of her frustration went with it.
She pressed the retrieval button and waited patiently as the cardboard figurine of the human body floated towards her. While waiting she reloaded her firearm. Eve picked took the target off and examined the six holes surrounding the heart.
"Wow, you're really good." A muffled voice came from behind her. Eve took off the ear protectors and turned around. "I wouldn't want to meet you alone in a dark alley." Garcia smiled.
"Hello Officer Garcia." Eve smiled.
"Please call me Wayne..." Eve remained silent putting a new target on. "And you are?" He hinted.
"Agent Nimrod." She smiled coldly. "How can I help you Wayne?"
"I just wanted to apologize for this morning. I've been awfully stressful lately."
"That's all right. I understand." She smiled. "And it's true, I'm not a day over fifteen."
"Just exactly is your age?"
"Mr. Garcia you should know never to ask a lady her age." She smiled devilishly.
"Touché." Garcia suppressed a smile. "I'll leave you to your target practicing then." He said leaving the shooting range.
"Hey Wayne!" She interrupted his flight. "The name's Eve." She smiled.
Madigan Suite, Grand Hyatt Washington
Washington, District of Columbia
15:00 EST
'What should I do?' Kyle sighed looking out the window. He had spent the last three hours contemplating whether or not to commit treason. He sighed with frustration and broke the seal on the hotel's mini-bar taking out the tiny bottle of scotch.
Kyle sighed taking a sip of the very expensive scotch. "You think twelve dollar scotch would taste better." He sighed putting the bottle down. 'I wonder how Aya's doing?' He sighed. 'Maybe I was too harsh, but I needed her to trust me, confide in me with all her secrets.' He sighed.
He took another sip and considered what he would do until midnight. 'Should I commit treason to gain the trust for a possible treasonous group?' Kyle contemplated. 'I don't know Mole, then again, I don't know the president of the United States either.' He sighed.
"Great who do I trust?" He asked himself. "A politician or an informant that wants me to commit treason. Talk about choosing the lesser of two evils." Kyle sighed.
He didn't know what to do, he did know one thing, there was a conspiracy going on whether it's at the highest levels of the government or in the darkness of a shadow government of a treasonous group.
The President has been in office for three years, he wasn't all too popular, but he did have to make tough decision that wouldn't make him fashionable with the populace. 'But was he capable of treason?' Kyle sighed.
Then there was Mole, an informant that he met earlier that year that anonymously helped him with the case he was working on. Periodically Mole would steer him in the right place to solve the case he was working on. Madigan came to trust him over the year. 'But who is he?' He sighed not really knowing the nature of his informant.
"God help me if I choose wrong." He sighed finishing his scotch.
Dollis' Residence
New York, New York
17:00 EST
"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Dollis asked looking in the rear view mirror seeing Eve looking out the window enjoying the sights of New York.
"And reminisce over times before my birth?" She asked sarcastically. "No thank you." She sighed. "I rather go back to Atlanta and live in seclusion again then to have a boring conversation." Eve sighed.
"Really I don't mind." Broderick pointed out.
"No, Rupert have your boy's night out." Eve smiled. "Besides I have something to talk about with Ben." She hinted to Dollis.
"Are you sure?" Dollis asked.
"Yeah...he deserves the truth." Eve sighed.
The two adults stayed silent knowing what she meant. The silence was uncanny and intolerable. The car stopped in the driveway of the Dollis' household. "All right this is your last chance."
Eve got out and smiled and headed towards the passenger's window. "I'll risk it." Eve smiled. "Happy Birthday." She smiled kissing him on the cheek. "Have fun."
"I'll try." Broderick smiled.
"There's pizza money on the counter." Dollis pointed out. "Tell Ben to behave." He hinted.
"I will." Eve smiled. "Have a good night."
"We will." Dollis smiled putting his car into reverse.
Eve watched the car rushed down the street. She smiled waving until the car was well out of range. She slowly walked towards the door and opened it.
She hesitated to cross the threshold of the house; she needed to talk to Ben, to tell him the truth of what she is, what she does, and what's in her cells. It was a discussion she didn't want to have, but needed having. She didn't want to start this friendship, this relationship on a false pretence.
"Hey Eve." Ben announced with a big grin on his face.
"Hey Ben." She smiled back.
"How was your day?"
"It could be better." She sighed. "Yours?"
"Better now that you're home." He smiled. "Are you ready for our date?"
"Date?" Eve asked with confusion.
"Don't tell me you've forgotten...Coney Island?" He felt crestfallen.
Eve saw his head down and suddenly remembered about their conversation last night. "Of course not." She smiled lifting Ben's head. "I just wanted to talk to you."
"We could talk en route." Ben smiled.
"All right, just give me a minute to change." Eve smiled walking to her room.
"Don't take too long." Ben yelled. "I'm not sure how long dad and Broderick will take for their dinner." He said looking out the window. He waited all day for this date.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to the Parasite Eve Genre (specifically Parasite Eve and Parasite Eve II (video game)) is not my invention and is the property of Square. [2] This is a fan fiction and as such names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination that is, those not mentioned in the previous clause and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
By: Stiltzkin
Author's Note: Sorry for getting this posted up so late. I've been busy with a million different things most of them miserable. You probably know the drill: school, work, life, same old same old. I've also been working on other series that I'm presently writing.
Firstly, I like to apologize in advance for the lack of action in this chapter, but it's compensated with chalk full off suspense (or at least I think so). This chapter is mostly to advance the plot. I promise more action in the next chapter. Secondly, I have trouble with the situation and formation of the four story lines in this chapter because they are in three different time frames. French Standard Time (FST), Eastern Standard Time (EST), and Pacific Standard Time (PST) that have a six-hour and three-hour difference respectively.
I thought of relating all the time zone into one neutral time zone, i.e. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), but that made the story out of sync. People would be going to work in what seemed like the middle of the afternoon, so to prevent confusion I decided against it and have the four threads in their respective time zones and continue the story chronologically. Enjoy.
* * * * * * * * * *
CHAPTER FIVE: FIRST IMPRESSIONS.
Brea's Suite, Grand Hôtel Concorde
Lyons, France
July 16, 2003, 06:00 FST
Aya buried her head deeper within her covers, she felt safe within its confines. The rays of the rising sun slowly creep through her window, slowly announcing the inevitable - the morning. The phone on her nightstand rang. She grunted and answered the phone on its third ring.
"Hello?" She tiredly greeted.
"Mademoiselle Hunter, this is your wake up call for six in the morning."
"Thank you." She thanked the porter.
"De rien!" The porter replied hanging up the phone.
Aya sat up on her bed leaning against the headboard. The morning larks were singing their melodic songs soothing her tired body. Aya closed her eyes allowing their song to rejuvenate her essence. In the past three days she had spent more time traveling than battling Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures. She just wanted to rest for five more minutes. 'Just five more.' She sighed.
Being jetlagged was just the tip of her problems. She was overstressed, overworked, and felt under-appreciated. She had a million things going on in her mind, so many things she wanted to address in her life, but those concerns had to be put aside for the time being. There were greater matters to attend to first.
Aya took a deep sigh. She looked at the phone and stared at it thinking. She picked up the phone and pressed a series of numbers. The phone rang twice before it was answered. "Room Service."
"Yeah. I like some coffee and a buttered croissant for breakfast." Aya asked. "Oh, and please leave it outside." Aya added.
"It'll be right up."
"Thank you." Aya expressed her gratitude. She headed towards the lavatory to start her day. She had a feeling that it will be a long one.
Interpol Headquarters
Lyons, France
09:00 FST
Inspector Rene Tibeaudeaux tried to make small talk en route to Interpol Headquarters, but Aya was uncommunicative. She was occupied with the thoughts of her relationship, or lack of, with Kyle Madigan. 'He's right.' Aya thought. 'I didn't really trust him.'
Aya always had a hard time trusting people; it started when she was young. To no fault of her own, she was the sole survivor of a fatal car accident where her mother and older sister died. That was the day where she first became suspicious of everyone; it was the first day she lost her trust in people.
Living in an orphanage didn't help either; one perspective parent would promise to adopt her, but ultimately turned her down because of her "older" age or other supercilious reasons, this facilitated her feeling of mistrust. Moving from foster home to foster home further jaded her trust; it made her feel like dispensable chattel. Promises were constantly broken and so was her fragile heart. At an early age she learned that she could only trust herself.
Perhaps, that's why she wanted to become a police officer, she wanted people to trust her, and she had to know that she could trust herself. It was all going well, until one fateful Christmas day in 1997 where her mitochondria were awakened. The liberation of her parasitic powers build or strengthen some bridge of trust like it did with Daniel Dollis, but it burned more burned more bridges then it built.
"We're here." Tibeaudeaux announced stopping the car.
Aya looked at Interpol Headquarters and was surprised with its openness exterior. Aya had thought that being a World Intelligence agency that it would be intrusive and uninviting, but she was glad that she was wrong. It rather looked like the United Nations with International flags all over the place
"Coming?" Tibeaudeaux asked.
Aya came out of her trance. "Yeah." Aya got out of the car and followed her new partner. 'I must keep my mind on my duty.' Aya reminded herself.
"Are you all right?" Tibeaudeaux asked.
Aya looked into Tibeaudeaux's eyes and in that split second she knew that she didn't trust him, not yet any ways. "I'm fine." Aya lied. "Just tired."
"That's understandable." Tibeaudeaux sighed.
He led Aya through the foyer towards a tall Caucasian man with forest green eyes and short brown hair. "Rene." He smiled shaking his hand.
"Logan." Tibeaudeaux smiled. "May I introduce Hunter...I'm sorry I don't even know your name." Tibeaudeaux asked embarrassingly. He felt guilty, like he had a one-night stand with her.
"Hunter would suffice." Aya sighed. "Nice to meet you..."
"Head Inspector Logan Savage." He replied flabbergasted. "Forgive me, I thought Hunter would be a man." He said shaking her hand.
"Most men do." Aya replied directing a smile to Tibeaudeaux.
"Ah, has Rene put his foot in his mouth again?" Savage asked.
"Does he do that often?"
"Perpetually." Savage smiled. "I have heard reports that he was born with his foot in his mouth."
"Logan." Tibeaudeaux quietly scolded. Aya chuckled silently to herself. "Could we start with Hunter's training?" He asked changing the subject.
"Of course." Savage smiled. He went into his inner breast pocket and pulled out a firearm. "Welcome to Interpol Inspector Hunter." He smiled. "Your badge would be given to you when your orientation is complete." Savage informed.
"Thank you." Aya smiled to herself.
"You're welcome." Savage smiled. "Right this way for your orientation and training." Savage led them further into the complex.
Dollis' Residence
New York, New York
06:00 EST
Eve Brea snuggled deeper into her comforter trying to get a few minutes more of sleep. It was a difficult task to achieve. The scent of eggs, hash browns, bacon, and coffee slowly trickled into her room, tempting her to face the approaching morning. 'That does it.' Eve thought. The aroma of breakfast cooking was too much of a temptation for her.
She surrendered to the morning and put on a robe. She opened the door and was surprised to see Ben sleeping on the couch. She had forgotten that Ben offered her his room. 'He's sleeping so soundly.' She was tempted to wake him, but she ultimately decided against it.
The scent of breakfast was still calling her name; she slowly navigated through the dark living room and entered the small, humble kitchen. "Good morning Mr. Dollis." Eve greeted.
"Good morning Eve." Daniel Dollis smiled. "I didn't expect you to be up so early." Daniel said putting a plate of breakfast before her.
"Thank you." Eve smiled. "Yeah, I don't usually sleep in." Eve sighed. "I'm usually up at dawn."
"I don't blame you." Daniel smiled. "You stayed up very late with my son." Daniel hinted.
Eve's face slightly blushed. "We...we were just talking." She defended.
"I know." Daniel smiled. "It's all right for you to talk to him." He reassured taking a sip of his coffee. "I've never seen my son so happy."
"Speaking of which, when does he get up?" Eve said looking out into the living room.
"My son?" Daniel chuckled to himself. "Ben being up before noon during his summer holidays is the perfect definition of a oxymoron." He smiled taking another sip of his coffee.
"What did you call me dad?" Ben said entering the kitchen. "A moron? How insensitive of you." Ben sarcastically said making his own plate of breakfast.
"Actually he called you an oxymoron." She defended nervously. "It's a figure of speech that combines two usually contradictory terms in a compressed paradox, as in the word bittersweet..." Eve stuttered nervously.
"Calm down Eve." Ben smiled. "I know what the word means." He reassured. "I'm sure dad is just surprised to see me up before lunch." He smiled taking a sip of his orange juice.
"Oh, so you heard our conversation." Eve said embarrassed by her outburst.
"Yeah." Ben smiled. "Pass the ketchup please?"
"So son." Daniel said with a taunting sound in his voice. He couldn't help, but to cave to the urge of embarrassing his son. "Tell me why you're up so early, is it because of Eve?" Her name was hardly audible from the sudden surge of pain. He looked towards his son who gave him a 'don't you dare or I'll kill you' stare. He realized that his son kicked him in the shin.
Ben quickly turned to Eve and smiled trying to cover his hint of embarrassment. Eve was clueless to what just transpired. "I thought I'd buy Rupert a birthday present." Ben quickly said to bridge the uncomfortable moment.
"That's very thoughtful of you, but unnecessary." Rupert Broderick said waltzing into the kitchen. He was dressed in his typical suit and tie, ready for work.
"Well, only if you're sure." Ben said quickly taking back his offer. The last thing he wanted to do was to buy a birthday present for someone he hardly knew. "So where are you two going today?" Ben asked Eve.
"Oh." Daniel said. "They're going to work." The last word was inaudible from another surge of pain. Someone has kicked him in the shin again. He looked around the kitchen table, first at Ben and then at Eve. She was bearing the same look as his son was a few moments ago.
Eve looked at Ben to see his expression. He was clueless to what just happened. "Oh, you know we're going to the usual tourist sights." Eve stuttered anxiously.
"We are?" Rupert sounded surprised. Eve gave him a sharp look, he understood. "We are." He smiled at the young Dollis sitting down drinking his orange juice. "By the way, where's Kyle?" Broderick asked finally noticing that there was one person missing from the table.
"I don't know." Daniel sighed. "He didn't come home last night." He said finishing off his coffee. "His bed has been untouched."
"Hmm." Broderick sighed curiously. "I wonder where he is."
Madigan Suite, Grand Hyatt Washington
Washington, District of Columbia
06:00 EST
Kyle Madigan watched the steam from his coffee danced its way into the air as he contemplated his present predicament. The translucent mist slowly danced upward reaching its apex and then disappearing into nothingness. He wished that his problems would do the same. 'Oh no!' He sighed. Madigan just realized that he picked up this particular idiosyncrasy from Aya.
'Why can't I stop thinking about her?' Madigan thought to himself. "It's because you still love her." He told himself taking a sip of his coffee. "I just wish she felt the same way about me." He sighed. Madigan looked at his untouched Continental Breakfast - it was cold. 'Why did I order this?' He thought to himself. Thinking about the situation with Aya made him lost his appetite.
His mind was in a constant flux between the matters of his heart and those pertaining to business. 'I wonder why Mole wants with me? And why now?' He thought. Madigan has never met Mole, but he trusted this informant from the past information that he had provided for his previous investigations.
His gaze was interrupted. In his peripheral vision he caught a small manila envelope slide under his door. Madigan quickly rushed towards the door and look down both halls to see who had dropped by. The person was gone. He swore to himself closing the door. He picked up the envelope on the floor and opened it.
Kyle Madigan quickly read the simple note held within. Like the note he received yesterday, this note was written by letters cut out from different parts of a magazine.
waShInGtOn MoNuMenT
NoOn
"The plot thickens." Madigan sighed returning to his untouched breakfast.
F.B.I. Headquarters
Los Angeles, California
04:00 PST
Special Agent Pierce Carradine typed furiously away on his computer - he was a man obsessed. He has been up all night, called in many favours, promised many things, and broke many confidence in order to find this shadow project that Hal told him about. 'Nothing.' He swore to himself. This was a challenge worthy of his talents. "I know you're here somewhere." Carradine said to himself.
He was an obsessed man on a mission; he was so mesmerized with his mission that he didn't hear Special Agent Jodie Bouquet entering the quiet office. She saw Carradine madly typing away on his computer. She smiled to herself shaking her head. 'Boys and their toys.' She sighed to herself. Bouquet quietly approached the busy Carradine.
The subtle hand resting on his shoulder was a surprise to him that he turned around ready to defend himself. Bouquet leaned back gracefully avoiding his punch. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Bouquet asked.
"I'm sorry." Carradine sighed. "I thought you were an intruder."
"A little paranoid aren't you?" Bouquet asked.
"Justifiably so." Carradine sighed ominously. "As you know, Baldwin asked me to find a shadow project that may be occurring within the National Centre of Mitochondrion and Studies."
"I know I was there with you." Bouquet rudely interrupted. "Did you find anything?"
"Yeah." Carradine sighed. "One of my informants in the C.I.A. gave me a name: Project Gilgamesh." Carradine sighed. "An hour later he mysteriously disappeared."
Bouquet finally realized why Carradine was so jumpy. "Are you sure?" Bouquet asked. "How do you know?"
"Let's just say I have more than one informant in the C.I.A." Carradine replied mysteriously.
"I'm sorry." Bouquet sympathized.
Carradine was shocked; he has rarely seen Bouquet compassionate, at least towards him. "Thanks." He sighed cautiously. "As least I know one thing." He sighed returning to his work.
"What is that?"
"I'm on the right track." Carradine continued typing trying to forget what had happened to one of his informants. "Why are you here so early?" Carradine asked turning around in his chair. He realized that it was uncustomary for Carradine to be at work this early.
"I knew that you wanted this when it came in." Bouquet said handing over a package to Carradine.
"What is it?"
"It's the salivary excretion of the Class C Neo-Mitochondrion Creature that Rupert wanted us to test."
Carradine quickly ripped up the packaging. "What took so long?"
"The boys down in the laboratory said there were some complications over the results, so they ran the test again and again." Bouquet sighed.
"Rightfully so." Carradine said mysteriously looking at the results.
"What is it?" Bouquet asked. Carradine handed over the report for her to read. "I'm sorry, I didn't take freshman biology." Bouquet confessed.
"Oh." Carradine sighed. "Here let me show you." He said returning to his computer. He quickly minimized his work and typed ferociously to load up a new program. "This is the typical deoxyribonucleic acid found here on Earth and this is the one just analyzed by our scientists." Carradine demonstrated on his computer.
Bouquet gasped in awe. "It's twice as complicated then ours." It was the only thing she could say.
"That's an euphemism if I ever heard one." Carradine sighed. "This is the D.N.A. found on our planet, it's based on a double helix model with four base pairs." Carradine said pointing to the model on the left. "And this is the D.N.A. of the mitochondria found in our Extra-Neo-Mitochondrion Creature, it is based on a triple helix model with six base pairs." Carradine sighed.
"Of course, it makes senses." Bouquet said as an epiphany hit her.
"What make sense?"
"Do you remember when Aya told Hal that her .44 Maeda bullets were ineffective on Smith?" Bouquet reminded.
"Yeah, so?"
"Well those bullets were engineered six years ago by Kunihiko Maeda containing toxic anti-mitochondria poison that was based on this double helix model." Bouquet started to explain.
"Of course." Carradine cursed silently to himself. "The bullets would be ineffective against the extra-terrestrial D.N.A. based on the triple helix model."
"Right." Bouquet smiled. "We have to re-engineered these bullets to the triple helix model." Bouquet pointed out. An uneasy silence fell in the room when the revelation was revealed. "What should we do?" Bouquet asked. "Should we contact Hal?"
"After we contact Dr. Maeda." Carradine sighed. "What time is it in Tokyo?"
"What time is it now?"
"Four thirty." He replied quickly turning on the video camera on his computer monitor.
"Twenty one thirty." Bouquet answered. "You know you're going to get in trouble with Hal without consulting him first."
"Yeah. I know." Carradine sighed. "I rather take the lecture and punishment than waiting hours if not days to get this information to Japan."
"I don't understand."
"Through official channels we have to give this report to Hal, which in turn he have to give the same information to the Director of the Bureau and in turn report to the President to call the Japanese President who then has to call Dr. Maeda. This way I'm cutting out four middlemen." Carradine sighed as he quickly dialled the number on his computer and after a few rings a Japanese scientist came on the monitor.
"Hello, what do you want?" The tired, overworked scientist asked.
"We like to speak to Dr. Kunihiko Maeda please?" Carradine politely asked.
"He's busy, may I ask who's calling?"
"Special Agents Carradine and Bouquet of the F.B.I. tell Dr. Maeda that we have imperial data that could help him with the modification of his anti-mitochondria bullets needed for the Mitochondrion Epidemic." The scientist stared at them with awe. The Japanese scientist couldn't believe that a couple of Americans could solve their riddle that a team of Japanese scientist couldn't. "Do you want our data or not?" Carradine asked feeling a little impatient.
The Japanese Scientist yelled a couple of phrases into the air. "He'll be right with you." The scientist said malignantly. He left and moments later an exhausted man, pale, thin, with dark bags under his eyes. "Doctor Maeda?"
"Yes." Sighingly he took off his glasses and started rubbing his eyes.
"We're..."
"I know who you are." Maeda sighed. "If you don't mind skipping through the introductions. I have about ten governments wanting my head if I don't produce results any time soon. I'm sorry for being rude, but I have been up for the last four days trying to figure why my anti-mitochondria bullets don't work." Maeda said all in one breath.
Carradine felt sorry for Maeda, he has the world on his shoulders and lives were being lost if he couldn't figure out this problem with his ammunition. "I'm sending you our data right now." Carradine said transferring all his data through his computer. "Your ammunition is based on a double helix model, but recently we discovered that the extra-terrestrial biological mitochondria that invaded the terrestrial cells of the Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures are triple helix in nature."
Maeda cursed with awe. "No wonder why my bullets weren't working." He had a huge grimace on his face. "Thank you for helping, this solves everything." He was so excited that he attempted to leave.
"Sir!" Bouquet interrupted. "When could we get these re-engineered bullets?"
Maeda sighed and thought of a conservative number. "Testing, manufacturing, and shipping the bullets would be done anywhere between forty-eight to seventy-two hours. If you don't mind, the more time I talk here..."
"Understood." Carradine said. "God speed." He said turning off his camera.
He sighed looking at Bouquet. "So what do we do now?" Bouquet sighed.
"We'll talk to Hal." Carradine sighed.
"No." Bouquet said forcing Carradine back into his chair. "I'll call Baldwin and you'll get back to your work. That's an order." Bouquet said sarcastically stressed the last part of her statement.
"Yes ma'am." Carradine smiled sarcastically returning to his work. Bouquet left hearing the fury of Carradine typing.
F.B.I. Headquarters, J. Edgar Hoover Building
Washington, District of Columbia
08:00 EST
Assistant Director Eric Baldwin waited patiently outside Director Louis Freeh's office, which normally he would mind, but since his arrival was unannounced and the news he had received earlier by Agent Jodie Bouquet gave him some relief that he had this time to think. 'How am I going to question Louis about what I know?' Baldwin thought.
The news of the triple helix alien mitochondria D.N.A. was a breakthrough in the extermination of Extra-Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures plaguing the planet. That feeling of scientific victory was dwarfed by the news of Project Gilgamesh. His fears were confirmed that there was a shadow project within a shadow project at the National Centre of Mitochondrion and Studies.
"The Director would see you now." His secretary announced.
"Thank you." He smiled politely and crossed the threshold of Freeh's office. He was hard at work reading the mountainous reports that lay on his table. Baldwin stood there for a moment waiting for his friend to look up from his reports. Giving up, he cleared his throat signifying his presence.
"Oh, Hal." Freeh looked up from his papers. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in." He apologetically smiled getting up from his seat. "Please sit." He offered the chair across from him.
"Thank you, Louis." He smiled sitting. "I'm sorry for my unannounced visit."
"That's all right." Freeh smiled. "What are you doing here?"
"I hate to give you more paperwork." Baldwin sighed. "But here." He handed him a report.
"What is it?"
"It's the analysis of the saliva retrieved from the Extra-Neo-Mitochondrion Creature at Dr. Smith's office earlier yesterday." Baldwin sighed.
"Is this the genetic code of..."
"It's a preliminary report, but it's sufficient for reengineering our Maeda bullets to this model."
"This is great." Freeh gasped. "I'll report this to the president at once. This information should be in Japan within hours." Freeh smiled.
"Actually my agents have already contacted Dr. Maeda in Japan."
"What?" Freeh gasped.
"They would be discipline accordingly." Baldwin reassured.
"I should hope so." Freeh exasperated. "There are procedures that must be followed to run an efficient nation." Freeh sighed. It's not like he believed what he said whole-heartedly, some days he doesn't, but he did hate it when people go over his head. "Thank you for the report, but you didn't have to deliver this report personally, so tell me what brings you here?"
Baldwin sighed and contemplated how he should proceed. He couldn't figure a way to ask his friend what's been plaguing his mind, so he fired his question without tact. "What is Project Gilgamesh?"
Freeh's mouth dropped at hearing the name. "Where did you hear the name?"
"I have my sources."
"Which are probably dead or missing now." Freeh sighed.
Baldwin's heart dropped. He has never known his friend to exaggerate anything, so when he said that his informants are either dead or missing, he believed him. "What's going on Lou?" He asked hesitantly.
"It's better that you don't know. My career is over, but yours is just beginning."
"I'm the director of the Mitochondrion Investigation and Suppression Team, the précis of my duties states that I know everything that happens within my jurisdiction." Baldwin said with a hint of anger.
"This meeting is over." Freeh said heading to the door and opened it.
"Louis this meeting may be over, but my investigation is not." Baldwin warned getting up.
"Hal, don't." Freeh stopped Baldwin before he crossed the threshold. "If you dig any further I may not be able to protect you when or if this is exposed." Freeh warned.
"I am within my rights." Baldwin said adamantly. "If you want to stop me, you'll have to arrest me."
"Hal, as a friend I beg you to leave this alone."
"And as a friend you know that I can't give this up. Now am I under arrest?"
"No." Freeh said above a whisper.
"Thank you." Baldwin said leaving the office.
"Good luck friend." Freeh said to himself. "Get me the President on the phone." He said to the secretary. "Tell him it's urgent." He said still gazing at the horizon.
N.Y.P.D. 17th Precinct
New York, New York
09:00 EST
Dollis, Broderick and the younger Brea entered the police precinct, the new field centre for the Bureau's Mitochondrion Investigation and Suppression Team. The office was busy with updates with Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures sightings all over the city and the ambient sounds of phone ringing.
"Report." Dollis replied getting straight to business.
"Smith is still a no show." Garcia sighed. "There are several sightings of minor Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures all over the city, but most of the calls are false unfortunately."
"Well that is to be expected." Eve sighed. "Looking over the map of New York City." It was a lot bigger than she thought it would be.
"And you are?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, the name's Agent Nimrod, I'm here to replaced Agent Brea while she's abroad with Interpol." She smiled sticking out her hand.
"You're kidding." Garcia smiled trying really hard to contain his laughter. "You can't be a day over fifteen." He mocked.
"No, she's serious." Dollis sternly replied.
"But Bo, she..."
"I think there are more important matters at hand than those running through your mind." Dollis raised his voice a little louder than he would have liked.
"Aye sir." Garcia sighed returning to the map. "The phones were ringing off their hooks all day since the media leaked the presence of Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures were on the loose." He picked up the phone and answered it.
"What's your plan?" Dollis asked.
Eve looked at Broderick wondering the same thing. "I think we should follow up with Smith's parents and his girlfriend." Broderick sighed. "Could your team manage these small outbreaks while we continue our investigation?"
"Yeah." Garcia sighed hanging up the phone. "That is if we can tell which calls are real and which are false." He exasperated.
"Maybe I should go with them, because of my..."
"No." Broderick replied interrupting Eve's sentence. She blushed embarrassingly because she almost gave up classified information of her biological status. "Remember our primary mission is to find Smith and eradicate him." He clarified their purpose in New York. "Exterminating Class D Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures is third in our list of priorities." Broderick mumbled underneath his breath.
"Third?" Garcia asked with concern.
"Our second priority is classified." Eve replied. "Could we have your notes and addresses for Smith's parents and his girlfriend?" She replied trying to be professional.
"I'll get it." Garcia sighed walking towards a filing cabinet pulling out a file. "There you go." He smiled giving the file to Broderick.
"All right." Broderick sighed, reading through the report. "Smith's parents live right here in the city and his girlfriend lives in Brooklyn." He sighed. "This should keep us busy for most of the morning." Broderick sighed.
"We'll keep the fort at the ready until you return." Dollis smiled. "God Speed." He wished extending his hand.
"Thank you." Broderick smiled. "Same to you. Com'on we better be going." He said to his protégé.
"Yeah, could you give me a minute?" Eve sighed. "I like to talk to Captain Dollis for a moment." She said looking at the captain.
"Sure." Broderick sighed. "Don't take too long." He said leaving.
"So you wanted to talk to me?"
"In private." She stressed trying not to draw attention to herself.
"Sure, in my office." Dollis sighed leading the way towards his office. He took his customary seat behind his desk and waited until Eve closed the door taking her seat. "Look if you wanted to talk about Wayne Garcia, don't worry, he'll take your orders, and he's a good cop, but a hothead and talks before he thinks." He rambled on.
"No it's not that." Eve sighed. "I could handle Officer Garcia. I wanted to apologize for kicking your shin this morning."
"I understand." Dollis sighed. "It's just that I thought you told Ben what you did." He pointed out.
"How would I tell him?" She asked rhetorically. "Hi my name is Eve, I'm a clone infused with enhanced mitochondria, the same mitochondria that liquefied your mother six years ago." Eve sighed sarcastically. "I wanted to tell him, but it's so hard." Eve sighed.
Dollis sighed carefully thinking how he should proceed with this discussion. "The last thing I want is to see my son hurt." Dollis said with concern.
"Me too." Eve confessed. "I really like your son..."
"Oh?" Dollis teased.
Eve blushed at what she just said. "It's nothing like that...I think he's nice. In all my life I've been secluded from the outside world and my only friends were F.B.I. agents about twice my age. Ben is my first and only friend my age...I just didn't want to lose that."
Dollis took a deep breath and sighed. "I guess I understand, but my son deserves the truth." He sighed. "That's the funny thing about lies they come out revealing themselves sooner or later." Dollis pointed out.
"Yeah." Eve sighed. "I hated deceiving your son, but I would like to tell him in my own time." She pointed out.
"All right."
"So do you have any idea how I would tell him?"
"No." Dollis sighed.
Eve sighed. "I've better get going." She said getting up.
"Yeah I see you tonight." Dollis said getting up. "Have a good day."
"Thanks." Eve smiled leaving the captain's office to start her day.
Washington Monument
Washington, District of Columbia
12:00 EST
Kyle Madigan stood in front of the pool before the Washington Monument. The sun was high in the sky casting its beautiful radiance unto the Washingtonian landscape. It was a busy place at noon, several governmental officials, tourist, and citizens just running around casually without a fear in the world. While in New York City, not too far away from Washington D.C., hell was breaking loose. Armageddon was coming and these people didn't know or worse didn't care about it.
He looked at his watch and saw that it was noon. 'Where is he?' He sighed looking around the busy square. 'What the hell am I doing here?' He thought walking towards a nearby bench and sat with the view of the Washington Monument behind him.
Madigan heard someone sitting beside him and looked to the person, a man reading his newspaper had recently sat down beside him. He smiled to the stranger and returned his attention scanning the horizon for his informant.
"Looking for eagles?" The stranger asked nonchalantly.
Madigan's heart jumped at the question. "I'm actually looking for moles." He replied still looking into the horizon.
"Moles don't come out in the day. They're nocturnal creatures." He replied. Madigan turned to him and studied him. "I'm his representative." He said under his breath.
"What's this all about?" Madigan replied coldly. He returned his attention back to the crowds pretending to wait for someone, just in case they were being watched.
"Your trust has to be earn before Mole is willing to meet you." He said.
"This is ridiculous." Madigan sighed. "I'm leaving."
"Do you want to know what's going on or don't you? It deals with your girlfriend's well being and a conspiracy at the highest levels of the government." The stranger said boldly. That stopped Madigan in his flight.
"She's no longer my girlfriend." Madigan exasperated, sitting back down.
"I'm sorry."
"What do you want me to do?" Madigan said wanting to forget the recent events in his relationship.
"Mole wants you to infiltrate the Bureau and steal some files."
"You what?!?" Madigan's voice was surprisingly louder than he wanted it.
"Keep your voice down Mr. Madigan." The stranger replied calmly. He half expected Madigan to lose his temper. "We don't want to draw attention now do we?"
"No of course not." Madigan sighed. "In order for me to steal these files, I need to break into Bureau Headquarters first. Security is as tight as the Pentagon or the White House." Madigan reported.
"Mole would give you the false identification needed so you could get into the Bureau through the front doors." The stranger sighed. "We will provide you with an authentic identification and badge with an issue Bureau firearm."
"Sounds easy enough." Madigan sighed. "What's in the files?" Madigan asked casually.
"That Mr. Madigan is on a need to know basis and you don't need to know right now." The stranger sighed over his newspaper. "Does that bother you?"
"Yeah." Madigan sighed. "If I'm going to commit treason, I like to know what and why I'm doing this?" Madigan pointed out.
"That's why it's a test of loyalty, of trust Mr. Madigan." The stranger sighed. "Mole needs to know that he could trust you, by doing this favour of his you'll have it." The stranger added. "So what is it going to be Mr. Madigan are you going trust Mole and possibly betray your country? If not, then this meeting ends here."
"I need some time to think this through." Madigan sighed.
The representative sighed and thought it through. "All right." He finally replied. "You have until midnight to make up your mind. If you accept meet me at the northeast corner of where your hotel is situated and if I don't see you there at midnight sharp, then I'll assume that you turned Mole down and this conversation never took place." He said quickly folding his newspaper and dashed into the perpetual changing labyrinth of people.
"Wait." Madigan quickly followed, but lost him in the crowd of people. "Damn." He swore to himself.
Brea's Suite, Grand Hôtel Concorde
Lyons, France
20:00 FST
'What a day?' She sighed throwing her jacket on the bed. She had spent the last eight hours in a boardroom having orientation. 'The world is going to Hell in a hand-basket and I spent the whole day in meetings.' She sighed with frustration raiding the mini-bar in her hotel. Aya understood the need to be aquatinted with Interpol protocols and procedures, but she never wanted to spend the whole day in boring meetings.
Aya took out a small bottle of scotch and quickly too a sip. "You think twelve dollar scotch would taste better." She sighed putting the bottle down. 'I wonder how Eve and Rupert are doing? I wonder what Kyle is doing now?' She sighed finishing her drink. 'I wonder what time is it in New York.' Aya sighed. 'Let's see...it's eight here and there is a six hour difference...so it should be two in the afternoon.' She thought picking up the phone.
N.Y.P.D. 17th Precinct
New York, New York
14:00 EST
Wayne Garcia was starting to hate the sound of the phone ringing. For the last five hours he has been on a wild goose chase all over Manhattan Island trying to catch phantom calls. There were, at times genuine calls about Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures, but those calls were few and sparse.
A couple of hours ago at noon, Commissioner Douglas Baker had announced to the public not to flood the police with false Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures sightings, because it would halt the police in helping those that really needed their help. The calls started to wind down.
"M.I.S.T. Central, Garcia speaking." He answered bitterly.
"Hey Wayne!" Aya greeted with enthusiasm. "It's Aya in France, how's it going?" She asked.
"Terrible." He sighed. "I've been chasing ghosts all day." Garcia answered. "But don't mind me, how are you?"
"Tired." Aya responded. "I was wondering if Agents Broderick or Nimrod is there?" She asked. "I tried calling them at Bo's, but Ben said that they were still out, so I thought they might be here." She sighed.
"No they've been out all morning." Garcia sighed. "Wait a minute, he just walked in." Garcia interrupted seeing the black F.B.I. agent walking in. "Hey Broderick!" He yelled. "It's Aya, she's on the phone for you." He said holding the receiver for him.
"Thanks." Broderick smiled. "Hey Aya, how's it going?"
"Things could be better." Aya sighed. "I've been stuck in meetings all day."
"How's the birthday boy?"
"Old." Broderick sighed.
"Oh, I doubt that."
"Well gallivanting all over the city with a partner that could be my daughter tires you out quickly." Broderick sighed.
Aya suppressed a giggle. "How's Eve doing on the first day on the job."
"Okay, considering..." He sighed.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing." Broderick sighed. "It's just that no one takes her seriously because of her age." He sighed.
"Oh, that's gotta be tough." Aya sighed. "Is she there? I like to cheer her up." She sighed with sisterly concern.
"No, she went downstairs to the shooting gallery to let out some steam. I could get her if you like?"
"No that's okay." She sighed. "Do you know where Kyle is?" She hesitantly asked. "I tried calling his mobile but he's not picking up."
"No he hasn't slept in his bed last night. Do you want me to tell him to call you when I see him?"
"No that's okay." Aya yawned. "I better get some sleep. Well I just called to wish you a Happy Birthday." Aya sighed. "So Happy Birthday."
"Thanks."
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing much." Broderick sighed. "I'm going out to dinner with Daniel Dollis tonight. I think he wants to talk about the good old days." He sighed.
"Well have fun. Gotta go."
"Take care." He said hanging up the phone.
* * * * * * * * * *
Eve always felt better releasing her frustration shooting over an inanimate piece of cardboard. She let out six shoots hitting the target perfectly at the heart at the furthest distance the gallery allowed her too. With each shot a piece of her frustration went with it.
She pressed the retrieval button and waited patiently as the cardboard figurine of the human body floated towards her. While waiting she reloaded her firearm. Eve picked took the target off and examined the six holes surrounding the heart.
"Wow, you're really good." A muffled voice came from behind her. Eve took off the ear protectors and turned around. "I wouldn't want to meet you alone in a dark alley." Garcia smiled.
"Hello Officer Garcia." Eve smiled.
"Please call me Wayne..." Eve remained silent putting a new target on. "And you are?" He hinted.
"Agent Nimrod." She smiled coldly. "How can I help you Wayne?"
"I just wanted to apologize for this morning. I've been awfully stressful lately."
"That's all right. I understand." She smiled. "And it's true, I'm not a day over fifteen."
"Just exactly is your age?"
"Mr. Garcia you should know never to ask a lady her age." She smiled devilishly.
"Touché." Garcia suppressed a smile. "I'll leave you to your target practicing then." He said leaving the shooting range.
"Hey Wayne!" She interrupted his flight. "The name's Eve." She smiled.
Madigan Suite, Grand Hyatt Washington
Washington, District of Columbia
15:00 EST
'What should I do?' Kyle sighed looking out the window. He had spent the last three hours contemplating whether or not to commit treason. He sighed with frustration and broke the seal on the hotel's mini-bar taking out the tiny bottle of scotch.
Kyle sighed taking a sip of the very expensive scotch. "You think twelve dollar scotch would taste better." He sighed putting the bottle down. 'I wonder how Aya's doing?' He sighed. 'Maybe I was too harsh, but I needed her to trust me, confide in me with all her secrets.' He sighed.
He took another sip and considered what he would do until midnight. 'Should I commit treason to gain the trust for a possible treasonous group?' Kyle contemplated. 'I don't know Mole, then again, I don't know the president of the United States either.' He sighed.
"Great who do I trust?" He asked himself. "A politician or an informant that wants me to commit treason. Talk about choosing the lesser of two evils." Kyle sighed.
He didn't know what to do, he did know one thing, there was a conspiracy going on whether it's at the highest levels of the government or in the darkness of a shadow government of a treasonous group.
The President has been in office for three years, he wasn't all too popular, but he did have to make tough decision that wouldn't make him fashionable with the populace. 'But was he capable of treason?' Kyle sighed.
Then there was Mole, an informant that he met earlier that year that anonymously helped him with the case he was working on. Periodically Mole would steer him in the right place to solve the case he was working on. Madigan came to trust him over the year. 'But who is he?' He sighed not really knowing the nature of his informant.
"God help me if I choose wrong." He sighed finishing his scotch.
Dollis' Residence
New York, New York
17:00 EST
"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Dollis asked looking in the rear view mirror seeing Eve looking out the window enjoying the sights of New York.
"And reminisce over times before my birth?" She asked sarcastically. "No thank you." She sighed. "I rather go back to Atlanta and live in seclusion again then to have a boring conversation." Eve sighed.
"Really I don't mind." Broderick pointed out.
"No, Rupert have your boy's night out." Eve smiled. "Besides I have something to talk about with Ben." She hinted to Dollis.
"Are you sure?" Dollis asked.
"Yeah...he deserves the truth." Eve sighed.
The two adults stayed silent knowing what she meant. The silence was uncanny and intolerable. The car stopped in the driveway of the Dollis' household. "All right this is your last chance."
Eve got out and smiled and headed towards the passenger's window. "I'll risk it." Eve smiled. "Happy Birthday." She smiled kissing him on the cheek. "Have fun."
"I'll try." Broderick smiled.
"There's pizza money on the counter." Dollis pointed out. "Tell Ben to behave." He hinted.
"I will." Eve smiled. "Have a good night."
"We will." Dollis smiled putting his car into reverse.
Eve watched the car rushed down the street. She smiled waving until the car was well out of range. She slowly walked towards the door and opened it.
She hesitated to cross the threshold of the house; she needed to talk to Ben, to tell him the truth of what she is, what she does, and what's in her cells. It was a discussion she didn't want to have, but needed having. She didn't want to start this friendship, this relationship on a false pretence.
"Hey Eve." Ben announced with a big grin on his face.
"Hey Ben." She smiled back.
"How was your day?"
"It could be better." She sighed. "Yours?"
"Better now that you're home." He smiled. "Are you ready for our date?"
"Date?" Eve asked with confusion.
"Don't tell me you've forgotten...Coney Island?" He felt crestfallen.
Eve saw his head down and suddenly remembered about their conversation last night. "Of course not." She smiled lifting Ben's head. "I just wanted to talk to you."
"We could talk en route." Ben smiled.
"All right, just give me a minute to change." Eve smiled walking to her room.
"Don't take too long." Ben yelled. "I'm not sure how long dad and Broderick will take for their dinner." He said looking out the window. He waited all day for this date.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to the Parasite Eve Genre (specifically Parasite Eve and Parasite Eve II (video game)) is not my invention and is the property of Square. [2] This is a fan fiction and as such names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination that is, those not mentioned in the previous clause and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.