Eagle Eyes

Manticore was not the only covert military operation making genetically enhanced prototypes. In fact, there were many more all around the world. In Australia, there was one called Eagle Eyes. This is their story.

Chapter Seven

Kaylee walked away from the Opera House, and started looking for a decent-looking hairdresser to go to. She had decided to take Agalia's advice, and do something different. Many things different. Smiling, Kaylee thought of all the things that she had always wanted to do, but hadn't been allowed to. The things that she had promised herself she would do when she turned 18. But she had her chance now, to change some things. While the circumstances that had made it possible weren't nice, Kaylee believed that you should always take the opportunity when it arose.

And the first thing Kaylee was going to change was her hair. Spying a promising hairdresser, Kaylee stopped thinking of what she could do, and started getting it done. Walking in, Kaylee stepped up to the counter. Just as she reached it, one of the hairdressers let a young woman out the back door. Turning around, she spotted Kaylee waiting. With a gasp, the hairdresser turned back, but all she saw was the closed door.

Quickly the hairdresser walked up to Kaylee. When she saw her in better light, a look of relief crossed her face.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Why do you look at me like I'm crazy?" Kaylee asked her.

"When I first saw you, standing here, you looked just like the girl that I just had in here. The same hair, eyes, facial structure, body structure, and stance. Everything just looked so alike. But then I saw you in better light, and realized that your hair is blonde, not brown. And there are slight differences, not many, but enough to make you unique. But enough of that, how can I help you?"

"Would I be able to get my hair trimmed and colored? Now?"

"Now? Let me see. Yes, I can fit you in right now. What color were you thinking off? And all your hair? Or just streaks?"

"I'm thinking of streaks. Or maybe tips. In a bright color. Maybe, pink?"

"Pink? I think I could do that. Now come, show me what you want to do with your hair."

Two hours later, Kaylee walked out of the hairdresser, satisfied with her new hair. It was shorter than she usually kept it, just brushing her shoulders. It also had bright pink tips. Kaylee like the color, thinking that it brought a cheerful aspect to her, that nothing could dim.

With a quick look at her watch, Kaylee saw that it was nearly 11:30.

"Only another four and a half hours to waste now." She murmured to herself as she looked around the streets once more. She needed new clothes and some other things, but thinking about it, Kaylee decided that clothes were first priority.

Kaylee walked for more than ten minutes, looking for a clothes shop that wasn't too expensive, but was also at least half decent. When she finally found one, it took her half and hour to find some clothes she liked, try them on, and then pay for them. Once done, she asked the sales-lady if she could use the fitting room to change.

Given permission, she cut the tags, and took them in. Quickly discarding her Roman Sandals, Kaylee stripped off her board shorts and 'Shit Happens' T-shirt. She then pulled on the pair of black leather pants and a black singlet top that had 'Girls Kick Ass!' written on the front. Stuffing her old clothes in her bag, Kaylee jammed her feet into her sandals before leaving the store. Outside, she found a bin in which she threw her old clothes.

Kaylee spent the next hour just wandering around the streets of Circular Quay. She ate lunch at a small diner that wasn't too expensive, but tasted okay. Not that Kaylee would complain. Food was food, no matter what it tasted like.

It was only when Kaylee stumbled across a tattoo parlor that she remembered what else she wanted to do. Walking in, she ignored the looks that some of the people inside gave her, and instead walked straight up to the counter.

"You 18 miss?" the guy behind the counter asked when he finally acknowledged her.

"You care?"

"Gotta be 18 to get anything done here. 'Less you have your parents permission."

"I don't have parents. They're dead. I do have parent's money though. Does that help?"

"What do you want done? No promises kid."

"Just something small. On my back. You do piercings as well?"

"Yeah. Look, I'll talk to the boss."

Kaylee waited as the guy went out the back and talked to his boss. When he came out again, a tall blonde woman followed him out. When she reached the counter, she stood and stared at Kaylee for a minute, before saying anything.

"How old are you, kid?"

"16. Or close enough."

"Gotta be 18 to get a tattoo, you know that?"

"Yeah. So what? You gonna turn me away? I'll just go somewhere else."

"A kid with spirit. I like that. Now, tell me, what do you want done?"

"You gonna do it for me?"

"As long as it isn't too extreme, sure. Don't see why not."

"Well, all I want is a small tat on my back, maybe two, and a couple of piercings."

"What kind of piercings?"

"Belly-button. Nose. Ear."

"Can do that. Now, come back here with me, and well see what we can do."

It was nearly 4:00 when Kaylee walked out of the tattoo parlor. Her back hurt, her stomach hurt, her nose hurt, but her ears didn't. She had already had a set of earrings in her ears, and she now had another set just above them, and one at the top of her right ear. In the first set, she wore a set of small silver hoops, in the second were two small blue topaz's embedded in silver, and a ruby stud was in the top. She also wore a small ruby stud in the left side of her nose, and a blue topaz sat on the top of her belly button ring, connected to a blue topaz flower. On her back were two small tattoos. There was one on each shoulder blade, both Chinese symbols, neither bigger than a quarter of her palm. The one on her right shoulder stood for bravery, and the one of the left for loyalty.

While the pain was annoying, Kaylee tried ignored it. She needed to get to Petersham soon. And to a supermarket to get some pain-relievers.

"Next stop, Coles Supermarket. If I get that far."

~~

So there you have it. Another chapter of Kaylee's wonderful adventure. Sorry bout the whole 'lack of interesting things happening' but I needed to get some of that out, so there weren't big holes in the story. Will try and post more soon.