Hello hello hello! OK, sorry again for that last chapter being so damn short - it was a midget - don't poke fun at midgets! They are just like everyone else, just vertically challenged! They have feelings too! *Sniff* - sorry bout that- I had too many Flintstone vitamins. Don't do vitamins! Too many give you headaches and make you nauseas....
Disclaimer - not mine - there - you happy now, oh Iowa Mafia?? LOL - an Iowan Mafia - that'd be GREAT! - sorry vitamins
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Chapter Seven
Eve's POV
When I had heard someone on the roof, I didn't know what to think. I felt adrenaline take over decision making in my brain. Uncle Zack has taught me that can be a good thing or a bad thing, so always stay in control. So I straightened my back and alerted him of the noise, then I decided to jump onto the roof in a single bound. Who ever was up there was just a few feet away from me as I landed. They didn't even get a chance to see my face, because I moved so damn fast. All I had to do was punch them in the lower abdomen, uppercut their chin, and kick 'em until whoever it was ended landing in an uncoordinated jumble at the apartment's hardwood floor. I sensed the person stirring, so I decided I was the best to protect Dad and Zack from the intruder, so I better get down there. So I simply leapt down to the floor, and stood over the offender in an instinctive show of dominance.
Although, I was of course rudely surprised to see this was a 'she', and a woman with dark curly brown hair, and a body shape I had seen in the mirror everyday. Then I caught her scent. My keen sense of, well, everything can get pretty damn annoying sometimes. But as I felt her scent fill my nostrils, something in me stirred. It was a familiar sensation, something I felt when I found my Dad and picked up his scent. He usually says I must have bloodhound in me. Now I believe it more than ever.
I had sensed something in my register even before Dad yelled "Max!" I had looked up at him, first not realizing what the hell he was talking about. Then the last piece of the puzzle fit. Max was the name of my long lost mother, the one that wasn't quite as lost as she used to be. As Zack and Dad rushed up to check her out, I wordlessly stepped off of her and slipped away into a dark corner of the room, having no idea what to think. I gave myself a few minutes of blatant observation of the three, making sure not to be noticed. Thank you Uncle Zack for teaching me how to use my feline DNA to my advantage. But soon dearest uncle Zack decided it was time to leave the two alone. I didn't want to go, I had never seen my two parents together before.
So I pressed myself against the wall, trying my hardest to calm myself, because my mo - Max is a chimera and she probably can sense tension and other intense emotions like her brother. It's the scent glands. If I had allowed myself to be tense, then I would sweat, and that has a strong scent. I must stay undetected.
I watched the two move close, then exchange whispers that I heard easily. Then they leaned close and pressed their lips together. I can't believe my Dad kissed her. She is practically a stranger. Well, to me at least. They haven't seen each other for sixteen years, and he kisses her. I suppose he did love her - maybe he still does - and she did have a right, and a purpose to leave. Even though I fully realize she did it to protect her loved ones, for some reason I can't help feeling angry. Don't ask me why, I just feel it inside. I have to stop with the emotions. How did Zack say to do it? Erase all thoughts, disconnect yourself, and see the situation from the outside. There is no reason to be here. I have observed undetected, nothing else is needed. Might as well leave.
So I crept out of the room, summoning all my DNA to not get noticed. But then again, they were so caught up with each other a human probably could do it. I wondered where Zack was, but I really didn't feel like dealing with him at the moment. I love the guy, but he isn't that great during sensitive moments. So I made my way to my room, and decided to change my outfit. The clothes were a bit less than sensible. I was in my khaki hip huggers, and a blue tight - thing. It was a shirt, but not really easily classified. Sort of halter, sort of polo, sort of V-neck. So I put my favorite outfit on, my ripped up blue jeans (Much to the aggravation of Aunt Margo.) and a casual gray tee shirt, along with my camouflage belt. Skip pajamas, I probably won't be sleeping tonight no matter what. I smile at the contents of my closet. Many belts, mostly black, many ripped pairs of pants, camouflage pair of flare hip huggers, camouflage shirts, and a camouflage duffle, along with a few other things. It always bothered Zack so much when I wore camouflage casually. He always pointed out that that was the very thing he had strived to stay away from, and it practically symbolized my enemy. Ha, screw him. I just like the way it looks.
I took a look in the mirror. What will she think of me? That woman in there, that stranger that Dad calls my mom. I'm sort of glad I took her down like that. It vented something inside me I didn't even know I had pent up. Oh well. She is going to want to meet me some time, and I can't hide in here forever. I looked down at my outfit. Dad would want my to dress up, most likely, but she needs to see who I am, not some dress I am forced to wear.
I took a deep breath, and opened my door. First I listened, then carefully peeked outside, took a cautious step, then I realized what the hell I was doing. Good god, you'd think I was in a recon mission, when I was just stepping out of my room towards the living room, which held my Dad and my... Yeah. This might be bad. I can't even handle calling her that in my own inner monologue. I'll consider that later. Right now, I'm concentrating on stepping out my door, turning, and walking in the other direction. Yep. Poor Uncle Zack would die if he knew I was doing this.
I heard Zack off in the guestroom, so I headed over to visit. What was I going to say? Who cares, he can practically read my mind anyway, he has always been so tuned in to my emotions that we can silently communicate for hours without one second of misunderstanding. I peek inside the bedroom, and see him sitting on the edge of the bed, raking his fingers through his hair. I stand in the doorway silently testing his hearing abilities and environmental awareness. He takes a few minutes, and I think he is off his game, but he says "Come here." Without looking up. So I stride over and sit next to him on the bed. He watches my face, and sees that I have applied my soldier expression, so he decides to use verbal confrontation.
"How you doing?"
"I'm...." I can't finish that, and bow my head. He catches me off guard as he lays his arm on my shoulders and pulls me towards him in a sign of comfort. I take a deep breath. "I'm confused. I'm not angry, and not happy. I feel one hundred percent soldier. No emotions." He sighs at this. I wonder what he is thinking. His body language is telling me his is tired and feeling weak. That's odd, because he has never let himself show weakness in this apartment.
"Zack... Are you all right? You don't seem to good..." He delivers a small smile in my direction, then yawns.
"I'm okay, Eve. I'm physically all right. It's just that this night has been tough on all of us. And I think it's time to meet someone." He stood, and offered me a hand. I took it and stood at his side. Together we walked down the short hall to the living room, but were only greeted by my Dad and the sound of the shower running.
Dad raised his head to us, with a smile on his lips that I had never seen before. The deep sadness that had always been in his eyes behind the surface emotions was gone. Wow, that woman sure did have an effect on him.
"I told max she could use the shower to freshen up. She's been through a lot I'm guessing. So Eve, what do you think of your mother?" Did he have to call her that just yet?
"I dunno. All I know is that she is not as good a fighter as I have been told." I say, turning to Zack. He used to tell me stories at night when I was little about how smart and wonderful my mom was, and what a great fighter she was, but she had my attitude, so she always was on his nerves. I was almost disappointed tonight when I took her down, even though I can now kick Zack's ass when he is prepared.
Zack still looks a bit nervous and tired. I wonder what is up with him.
"Um, Logan, there is something else I haven't told you guys. Actually it's something I haven't told Max. She knows I have been training Eve for the basics, and Max knows she's smart and clever. But, I haven't told her that Eve is... How she is." He glanced at me, then back at Dad.
Now here comes the emotions, I had been wondering where they went. I put a hand on my hip and looked him challenging in the eye. "You haven't told her how I am? Elaborate. Now." I stood waiting for him to continue. His walls were back up at the aggressive note in my voice.
"She was so nervous that you would live like she did I just told her you were smarter than normal, and I didn't go on. She never asked, so I never had to lie to her. She doesn't know you are strong and fast, and... Better than me at drills and sparring. She thinks that physically you are normal. And she is damn happy about that too."
Dad stood and walked over to us. "Well, she is going to catch on sooner or later that her daughter is different, once she is told why exactly she fell from the roof!" Dad's voice was getting dangerously high, and Zack was getting more and more aggravated.
"Stop it you two! She can't see you like this. We'll inform her of my abilities, and everything will be fine. Calm down before I put you both out." I said with venom in my voice. After a few seconds the water stopped and I heard faint footsteps on the tile floor of the bathroom. The fabric rustling. She must be getting dressed. I pushed Zack back, causing him to stumble and fall into a chair, then I did the same to Dad. If they are going to be like this, then I will have to be rough.
Soon she came out with a small smile playing at her lips. She was so at home and content here. Man, her first day back and she's already acting like she owns the place. When she spotted me she stopped dead in her tracks. I turned towards her and applied my soldier face. I didn't know her. She could possibly be an enemy, despite Dad and Zack's trust in her. She seemed like a deer caught in headlights - alarmed and fearful. What the hell was she afraid of? As far as she knew I was inferior to her.
I felt Dad stand behind me and place his hands on my shoulders. She glanced up at him quickly, then back to my eyes.
"Max, may I introduce you to your daughter, Eva Alexandria Cale. Eve, this is your mother, Max." Well, duh. She looked me up and down, and I sensed tension in her. She took a step forward, testing my reaction to her. All I could do was watch her suspiciously. She opened her mouth a bit, and met my gaze.
"I... I am so sorry, I wanted to protect you, and all I did was desert you." She lowered her gaze, and I relaxed, the threat was gone. She had admitted defeat. Dad slightly pushed forward with his hands. So I took a step towards her and she watched me in surprise. I know she left to protect. It was the absolutely best choice she could have made. The safest. I'm not dumb. She knows I'm clever.
"It's ok. I understand. Thank you." Her face twisted in confusion. I took a deep breath. Wow, my first words with my mother. Whoa, I just said that word, and in reference to her. Guess I am making progress. "Thank you for protecting me, and Dad." At the word 'dad' she smiled up at him, then looked back at me.
I took this chance to study her. Her body structure was nearly identical to mine. Same curves, same face shape, nearly the same height, and about the same waistline as me. But I did notice that her arms were somewhat straight, and the muscles hidden underneath her flesh. My muscles were a bit more defined on my arms; I lift weights with Zack in the physical therapy room. Our hair was the same texture, and mine was a bit longer than hers. My lips didn't have that much pout in them, and I had a few freckles along my cheeks and nose. All in all, we were very similar, and that just plain creeped me out. She seemed to also be studying me.
"Uh, Maxie?" Zack said off to my side. She looked over at him in surprise, as if just noticing him. "Well, I haven't been telling you everything. Eve isn't as average as I made her out to be." She shot him a lost look. He massaged his brow with one hand and tried to continue. I stopped him. She won't believe it unless she sees it.
"Maybe we should just show her." I suggest. He considers it, then glances in her direction.
"Show me what?"
"What I am." I say it with as little emotion as possible. I push the coffee table aside and the sofa against the wall. I walk back to stand in front of Zack, then get into a fighting stance. I shoot his an aggressive look, unlike the playful ones we usually share during sparring. His animal impulses take over and I see him return the aggression in his eyes as he lowers to a stance. Max takes a step forward as if to intervene. But I strike quickly to cut her off. I move forward in a flash and return, leaving Zack stumbling at the force of a punch to the gut. He snaps his head up, then leaps forward at me, but I quickly dodge and elbow his neck as he comes past me. He charges, hoping to intimidate, which usually gets me, but not this time. I stick my foot forward, he trips and I catch him, then throw him over my head and he lands with a deep thud on the floor ten feet away. I return to a fighting stance as he grunts and gets up, but then I realize it's over, and she probably has caught on. I let my body relax and filter out the adrenaline as I turn to gauge her reaction.
Her hand is at her mouth, an obvious show of surprise and being unprepared. She must not be good at hiding emotions. Either that or she trusts me unconditionally. That would be nice if she did. Sort of like my friend Olivia. Only on a higher level.
"Oh my God... You have chimera strength." She says it slowly as if testing each word as it leaves her lips.
Zack steps forward, with his familiar CO expression. " Not only that, but she is stronger than me, and that is not the first time she has... Kicked my ass." Wow. The great almighty powerful Zack just admitted weakness. A lot can happen in one night. "She is stronger, faster, and better at improvisation and missions than me, and she doesn't sleep." He added. That was too much for her. She falls back into the chair behind her, her eyes blank with concentration, compiling the new information.
I sense a stir in my dad, and I turn to see him stand and walk over to her. He kneels in front of her and whispers soothingly, "But she has no seizures, and no Manticore. She's happy. Just what you wanted." I bet that isn't what she wanted. She wanted normal. Not happy and revved up, but happy and normal. I wouldn't exactly mind being normal.
"How?" She asks.
"The implant, Max." Dad responds. She nods in understanding, then lifts her head to smile at me. "Are you happy?" She asks rather timidly. Whoa. Not expecting that level of love in her voice. I childishly nod my head yes, then just can't help but let a small smile get past.
The next few hours went by rather slowly. Even though I don't need sleep, I felt myself growing more and more tired as we sat around the living room sharing stories of the past years. She had mainly traveled around Canada, and Zack had visited frequently to make sure she was holding up all right. She talked about the pictures of me he would steal and a few school assignments for her. She had been close to sobbing for a long time. Over the sixteen years, she had two run-ins with Lydecker and Manticore. Once she was in Chicago and took down the wrong thugs, who happened to be friends of a military official. Lydecker got wind and nearly got her, but a stranger came through and helped her. Later she found he was Zane. The next was the recent event, and she was still not safe.
I listened to her voice and recognized a few slurs and slangs from Original Cindy. I smiled at the thought of my pseudo Aunt Original and my mom hanging together and mouthing off to their boss. Gees, Aunt Original, Uncle Zack, and all my other aunts, uncles, and cousins that are chimeras. I have more pseudo family than I do blood family.
She asked me a lot about my life, until I just gave in and busted out the photo album. She has been sitting there, very close to Dad, for around forty-five minutes, listening to stories, and never letting that smile leave her face. I always thought those were boring. Zack had been coming in every now and then, but never really staying to make conversation. I suppose he feels left out.
Suddenly my ears involuntarily perk, and my skin tingles over a surge of energy. What was that? I heard something. I heard a soft crunch of dried tar on the roof. I snap my head up and search the sunroof for evidence of an intruder. Nothing was in sight. The again in the distance I hear a slight shift of cloth. Like clothes on a body. I lower my gaze and pretend to be interested in my parent's conversation. Then I stand and walk as casually as possible to Zack in the kitchen. I can't alert who ever it is that I am aware of their position. "The element of surprise if one of your best advantages." I hear Zack's voice echo through my head. As I approach him my entire body is highly sensitized to any shift in the environment. Zack is just sitting there, contemplating something. He glances up at me, then suddenly realizes my stance and attitude, and stands to watch me carefully.
I don't use hand gestures, because I am no longer within the range of the threat. Instead I lower my voice and send a warning look at him. "There is an intruder on the roof."
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I know, I know! You hate me because of the suspense - but look! A longer chapter! YAY! And I gave you a peek into Eve's mind and thoughts over this whole scenario. Bet you were wondering what it feels like to have animal in you, huh? Well, anyway, next chapter coming soon, so no Iowa Mafia! By the way - good news - I stopped taking vitamins. But big problem! From typing so much I've started getting that carpals thing and my wrist hurts and I'll have to get a brace maybe. But REVIEW! Especially you, Domino Nermandi! I can't wait to see how long you next one will be - LOL - anyway, see ya later with chapter eight!