Chapter 2

The warm rays of the sweet dawn sun fell upon the great form of the Ashford Manor.

Up in a clandestine room near the attic, behind the heavy curtains of a luxurious bed, was hidden a deadly secret.

For the second time in her life, Alexia Ashford was in labor. The pain came upon her unexpectedly in fiery waves; just when she thought she'd gotten over the worst of it, it would flare up again even more painful as if mocking her. There was no rest.

Oh, why did I ever let him talk me into having a second child? Alexia thought regretfully, shutting her eyes tightly as if it would help ease her pain, I must be losing my mind. I'd forgotten just how much this hurts!

But she couldn't fool herself--she knew exactly why she'd let Alfred con her into it: insurance. In case anything ever happened to their first child, Ash, she'd still have an offspring to put into use for her future plans.

And how glorious those plans would be!

But first thing came first: she had to bring this new child into the world.

Alexia, are you alright in there? Came Alfred's worried thoughtspeech.

Since they were twins, and special ones at that, Alfred and Alexia shared a special psychic link. They could communicate to each other telepathically. Even though they'd had this ability since birth, they'd only recently put it to heavy use. Now that the west wing was in use again, it was especially important to keep quiet.

Shut up! Just shut up! Alexia's voice rang in Alfred's head, threatening to give him a headache. She knew he was just beyond the drapes, ready to help her with whatever she may need.

She was not in a particularly nice mood this morning.

Inside of her, the child moved, struggling to get out.

Alexia winced.

Within minutes, it was all over, and she was holding her new child in her arms, struggling to clean it up with a towel she had prepared for the occasion.

The infant began fussing at this rough treatment.

She could hear Alfred leap up. What is it?

Alexia looked down at the small life in her arms, the one she herself had helped to create.

This baby was a girl, and she already had a soft film of golden blonde hair on her head.

Alexia smiled in spite of herself. She was always kind of hoping her second child with Alfred would be female.

It is a girl. Alexia thoughtspoke, Do you have the bottle ready?

Right here. Alfred's hand reached through the drapes grasping a nice warm bottle of infant formula he'd been holding for the past five minutes.

After testing it on her wrist to make sure that it was the right temperature, Alexia slid the nipple of the bottle into her daughter's open mouth.

This delighted the baby--she stopped crying at once and started hungrily sucking away at this new food. While she was doing this, her mother wrapped her up in a soft violet baby-blanket.

The Ashford Twins had not been caught unprepared this time around.

Or so they thought.

Alexander Ashford had noticed some peculiar behavior in his 15 year old son today.

Alfred had been acting extremely uneasy, nervous. Almost like…almost like he had something to hide.

But that's ridiculous, Alexander thought, what would he be hiding from me?

Had he not seen with his own eyes his son sneaking off down the hall to west wing with something white in his hands, he probably would not have thought much more of it. It was not the habit of his children to try and keep things from him.

And why would they, I give them everything they want! They have no reason to hate me, to keep secrets from me.

The thought infuriated Alexander. How could Alfred do this to him! And just what was he hiding, anyway?

Determined to get to the bottom of it, Alexander had followed his son into the west wing of the mansion--careful to keep a comfortable distance back. Once or twice Alfred had turned his head, as if sensing something, and he'd had to duck behind the corner just in the nick of time.

But in the end he had fooled the child, and now he found himself staring at the bed in Alfred's old room. Alfred was nowhere to be seen.

But…I'm sure he came this way! It made no sense. Nobody could just disappear like that!

Frustrated, the master of Ashford Manor was just about to turn away and look someplace else when the ever so slightest cry caught his ear.

What…What is that? It sounded like a baby's cry. And it was coming from just overhead.

Then it dawned on him…the secret passage up to the playroom! It had been so long ago…he'd almost forgotten. But now the memory rushed back to him in vivid detail. To get to the hidden playroom, one merely pulled a lever located right underneath the bed.

Alexander rubbed his hands together eagerly on his way to the bed.

It was time to find out just what exactly this was all about.

Up in the secret room above the playroom, Alfred was holding his daughter for the first time. She'd finally pushed the bottle away, and now she was staring up at her father with sparkling sapphire eyes.

Alfred tickled her a bit and she laughed. She seemed to be a very happy baby, much happier than Ash had been. And she had been born at dawn, which was, unbeknownst to her parents, said to be the hour of innocence.

My, when she gets older, she's going to look a lot like you, Alexia. Alfred commented, Tell me, what are you going to name her?

Alexia had just finished dressing in her after-the-birth clothes, and now she was standing so close to Alfred that when they both bent down to gaze upon their new child, their heads touched.

She does look like me, doesn't she? Alexia purred telepathically, Then it only stands to reason that she should be named for me. I shall call her Alexis, which sounds very much like my name, only with an 's' at the end instead of an 'a'.

Her middle name should be your name. Alfred suggested, It goes well with the rest, and it compliments Ash's middle name.

It's settled then, Alexia reached down to stroke Alexis's soft hair, Her name is Alexis Alexia Ashford.

Inside the hidden playroom, Alexander was baffled. The crying had stopped. What was more, nobody seemed to be in this room.

I must be getting old. He thought as he rested against the wall, unknowingly pressing the secret button, Where could Alfred have gotten off to?

As if in reply, the ceiling overhead began grinding and a very old, very dusty ladder lowered from a hidden compartment up there.

A secret shaft! Now he was excited. It looked like he would finally be getting to the bottom of this mystery once and for all

The Ashford Twins heard the grumble of the ladder lowering, and knew at once that somebody was on to them.

However, Alexander turned out to be a very fast climber, and they had absolutely zero time to react before their father was upon them, staring in shock at the scene before him.

" What is this?! " His eyes were glued to the small form of baby Alexis held tightly in Alfred's arms.

Both twins were at a loss for words.

Oh fudge, now what are we going to do?! Alfred's thoughtspoke to his sister.

Despite Alfred's anxiety, Alexia seemed oddly calm. Go ahead and tell him the truth, Brother.

Are you crazy?! It was one of the few times Alfred had ever dared to question his twin's judgment, Do you know what he'll do to us?!

But already, the concept was starting to sink in with Alexander. They didn't…they couldn't!

But he could not deny what was before his very eyes. Besides, why else would his kids be trying to hide a baby?

I always thought those two were maybe a little too close for siblings….the concept of it was just horrifying. His own children, indulging in incest behind his very back!

" Oh…no. God no. Please don't tell me that…"

Alexia nodded, never taking her eyes of her father. Tell him, Alfred. We're not going to be able to deceive him anyway. Don't worry, he wont be a problem for us much longer. I have every intention of making him pay for his failures and the disgrace of our name.

Alfred straightened. Well, okay…. " That's right, Father. Meet your granddaughter Alexis."

Alexander slapped a hand to his face, distressed. " How could this happen? " Where did I go wrong?

But then initial shock was replaced with controlled anger. Can't get them all riled up right now…I'd best play it cool until I have young Alexis safe and sound. Then I can exact punishment on these two incestuous siblings. How dare they deceive me! And after all I've done for them.

Alexander held out his hands. " Give her to me."

Alfred shrank back at once, something that could almost be a hiss escaping his throat.

" Damn you, Alfred! Give her to me! "

Alexia shot her brother a venomous look. " Do as he says, Alfred."

But…

You would dare to defy me?! Alexia's voice raged inside his head, Just do it! I'll not have my judgment questioned again by your ineptness. I know what I'm doing!

" Alright…" Alfred slowly approached his distraught father with Alexis.

" Here." He handed his daughter over to her grandfather.

Alexis smiled at Alexander. Indeed, she had absolutely no idea how serious the situation was, or how much danger her grandpa was in.

Alfred backed off, his eyes gleaming with hatred and his expression fixed into a snarl. He felt very protective of his daughter, and he didn't like seeing her in Alexander's incompetent hands.

Alexia, on the other hand, was doing a pretty good job of keeping her cool. Though Alexander's stumbling into their affair had been unexpected, her warped mind had quickly found a way to turn this otherwise setback into an opportunity.

For just a second, Alexander took his eyes off his children to look at Alexis.

For just a second, his guard was down.

That was just the chance Alexia had been waiting for.

In a wild dash of speed, she withdrew the just-in-case syringe from her outfit and quickly rushed Alexander with it.

He barely had time to utter a surprised cry before the needle was piercing his flesh, injecting it's contents into his veins.

Alexia swiped Alexis from his arms and leapt back, waiting for the substance to take effect.

Alfred smiled in wicked glee. " Oh, so this was the plan! " He snickered, no longer taking the precaution of thoughtspeech.

Alexander's world had been rocked.

" How…how could you do this to me? " He gasped, sinking to his knees and trying to fight off the high-speed effects of whatever Alexia had injected him with.

Alexia flashed him a ruthless smile. " Read your notes, Dad. How you created Alfred and I by isolating the intelligence gene. Too bad you forgot to isolate the loyalty gene as well! Finally your incompetent reign over this family will be put to an end, and we can begin to reverse the effects of your failures! "

Alexander tried not to succumb, he really did. But it felt as if a blue whale were being placed upon his back, and he could not move.

" Bitch." His last word before he fell over face-first onto the floor, totally unconscious.

At that exact instant, and for no seemingly no logical reason, Alexis began to cry.

" Is he…" Alfred started.

" Dead? " Alexia finished, " No. Not for now, anyway. He is sleeping. It was only a matter of time before I tested him with my new virus anyway. I guess it just goes to show that things happen when it is time for them to happen."

Alexis cried all the louder.

Alexia looked down at her and frowned. " What is it, child? What is wrong with you? " She gestured for Alfred to bring her the bottle.

Alfred complied, and Alexia tried to give Alexis a drink of it.

Alexis would have none of it. Pushing the bottle away with her tiny fists, she began screaming her head off.

" That horrible racket! Make it stop! " Alfred complained, putting his hands to his ears.

Alexia thoroughly checked the babe over. Everything was fine, yet Alexis was screaming like she was being murdered, much louder than she would if she just wanted attention.

For once in her life, Alexia was completely stumped.

She handed the baby over to Alfred. " Do something! "

" What's wrong with her?! " Alfred voiced over the noise.

" I don't know! It doesn't make sense! "

Alfred had no clue how to sooth an infant. Thankfully, some paternal instinct hidden deep inside him told him what to do.

Propping Alexis over his shoulder, he began gently patting her back. " Shh. There there. It's alright."

He locked eyes with Alexia. " Do you think she's upset over Father? "

Alexia rolled her eyes in response. " Don't be ridiculous, Alfred. She's only an hour old, if that. She can't possibly understand."

Unbeknownst to the Ashford Twins, Alexis did understand.

Well, not in the traditional meaning of the word, but in a way. Though it was true that she did not comprehend the physical aspects of the situation, she had inherited some of her parents' psychic abilities--a type of sixth sense. The moment Alexander went down, she had sensed a great hurt. It had washed over her consciousness in a painful wave of sorrow, even if she could not understand how or why.

Alexia had underestimated her daughter's abilities.

Finally, in minutes that seemed more like hours, Alexis quieted down, literally crying herself to sleep.

Now she lay twitching in Alfred's arms.

Alfred was upset. " Do you think there's something wrong with her? Something we cannot fix? " His voice was choked with emotion. Of the few things he loved, his daughter was one of them. He would do anything for her.

Alexia shook her head. " No…she should be just fine. She's perfectly healthy…I honestly don't know what made her go into such a fit. I shall have to research it later on. If it becomes necessary." Her eyes shifted over to the still form of Alexander lying unconscious on the floor. " First we're going to have to deal with him." She continued in a low voice, " I already have the perfect room picked out. We have that trip to the Antarctic base tomorrow, remember? "

Alfred nodded. " Yes but how are we going to…"

" Don't worry," Alexia assured, " I know just how to get there without anyone becoming the least suspicious. There is a special hidden room down there…perfect for our purposes. I'll simply keep Father sedated until we reach the establishment, and once he is there, I can test the T-Veronica virus on him. I have been waiting to see what effects it would have on a human."

" All that's great," Alfred agreed, " but what are we going to do with Alexis? "

Alexia twisted a lock of straw-blonde hair around her finger playfully, " Why, the same thing we did with Ash, of course. Only this time it won't be Maggie Evanson. I have picked out a Mr. Rosken and Mrs. Phelps that should do the job quite nicely. We should have no problems with them, I trust. And once circumstances allow it, we can retrieve both of our offspring; hopefully within the next three or four years, depending. They should be very impressionable at that age, but thankfully not quite as dependent."

" Sounds like a plan."

And so the Ashfords went about their evil ideas, never doubting that their future would indeed be a glorious one, and ultimately sealing their fates.

Alexis on the other hand….well, that was another matter.

She would indeed grow up to powerfully resemble her parents, especially her mother. But, unlike Alexia, Alexis was not destined for evil…..

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And thus, the saga begins. To see what becomes of the new Ashford kids when they get older, please check out my other stories:

A New Tide--- Ash = 15 years old and Alexis = 14 years old ( Keep in mind that this takes place very close to their birthdays. )

Crimson Africa---Ash = 21 years old and Alexis = 20 years old

All reviews welcome! =^-^=