Annabelle walks away. Though there are few more words remaining, like bile, bitter and burning in the back of her throat. The self-involved and insolent girl had not left childhood behind. Acting as if the wedding fiasco was Annabelle's fault. Electricity raced up and down her veins, setting fire to her blood. David could just as easily cheat on her. Annabelle could feel a small grin beginning to twist her lips. Judging from Sasha's perceptible reaction, the seeds of mistrust had been sown. The girl was a staunch supporter of her lover-not anymore. Annabelle saw the doubt hang on her features-the brightness of her eyes dim just a little.
Walking with a long, purposeful gait, she gives a slight jerk with her head for the notice of the tree, never breaking her stride. As one foot after the other hits the ground. Her breathing heavy and furious. She knows she has to work out all the seething anger pumping in her body. Ears picked up the discernable ring of chuckles trailing on the wind. Annabelle grits her teeth, concentrating on dispelling her anger. Get rid of enough of her anger and maybe, she could stand a few minutes being in Max Steel's company without electrocuting him into paralysis.
The sunlight falls across her lids as she raises her head. Eyes focus on the shed. An adequate structure with a red roof and white, spotted walls. A long winding pathway allowed for entry. As she ascended by that way, she pondered how her first fortress came about.
Her first evil lair. A few dastardly things had happened there but nothing on the scale of Electrix's accomplishments.
The person who had aided in its construction had never considered her capable of such mischief and thus, did not believe that the place would be used for anything other than childlike enjoyment.
As she stepped forward, a frown darkened her features. The man who toiled under the blazing sun by her side did not deserve a shred of thought. She reached the wooden door and ran a hand down is rough, weathered surface. Aridness and sharp flints prickled her skin. Reaching around her neck, she removed the chain. The attached key felt weightless in her hand. It didn't fit in her hot palm, its cold left an alien shape. It opened the door on the first try. A whimsical thought passed fleetingly through her mind. 'I should get an electric security lock for the secrets it holds.' The effort would be useless. There is nothing in her former childhood place to betray Electrix, but Annabelle would lose her secrets and she was such a pathetic creature that it would be almost unfortunate.
She stepped into the air, a mixture of the synthetic smell of machinery and the acridness of chemicals. The taint of dust and mold lingers though the electric fans make such a racket in the closed space.
Eyes swept approvingly across the room. "Nice work." Woody and Eleanor looked up from their position beside the computer. "Almost done!" Eleanor said, tapping on the keyboard. "I helped!" Woody chimes in proudly. Annabelle arches an eyebrow, "You let Woody help?" Incredulity and reproach are light in her words. Eleanor shook her and then, gave Woody a sidelong glance. A small smile danced on her lips, "I wouldn't let him configure my coffee machine. He helped bring the stuff in and took it out of the boxes." Annabelle could conjure up a small smile for her brother as he beamed at her, blue eyes sparkling. The way he looked up to her, eager and willing to do anything. It invoked actual sisterly affection for him and not sisterly duty which is an entirely different concept. He wouldn't question her. And she was consorting with his worst enemy. Guilt stirred uneasily inside her. Annabelle quickly turns her back on her brother and walks around the room in a tight circle. Eyes move appraisingly.
'I am sorry, Woody. I know how much you hate N-tek and Max Steel- but I have to do this.' Aloud, "I think this is all I will need. You two can go now!" Eleanor is taken aback by the abrupt dismissal, "That is it! You are not even going to tell us what your project is all about." "Yes!" Woody echoed, "Why did you ask us to bring all your stuff from the lab. Are you planning something?" Then his voice took on an aggrieved tone, "You're not going to do anything to Mother are you? Turn her into some kind of weapon!"
Apparently, as dim-witted as Woody was, he could sense the icy attitude his sister and mother had for each other. Eleanor and Annabelle blink, shocked by the sheer absurdity of the notion. Eleanor collapses first into giggles. Annabelle rolls her eyes. Once again being reminded why she didn't trust her brother as often as she would like. Woody may not be as "gifted" as her in the brains department I am not going to turn Mother into anything." "She makes herself into enough of a beast without my help!" Couldn't resist from adding nastily, edged with spite. Woody appeared wounded in his Mother's stead. He couldn't believe his dear sister could be so cruel to the mother who loved them both.
Eleanor furrowed her brow. Lately, she had begun to notice Annabelle took an excessive liberty at directing barbs at her mother. However, from what Eleanor could understand, her mother was rather distant and cold towards her own daughter, surprisingly favoring Woody of all people.
"I have a really important project to begin-so do you mind?" She points to the door, setting her facile in dark impatience. Woody and Eleanor, familiar with Annabelle's moods knew there was no reasoning with her so they made the mutual decision to leave.
Woody stopped at the door, to trace a pattern on the nearby wall. "She removed it. Annabelle." She stiffens, her dark look deepening, "Why?" Voice carries traces of anger. Woody turns his head and smiles apologetically for his mother's sake. She told me there was no reason to keep it."
Annabelle wanted to interrogate him further to unravel further details but he disappeared down the path before she could fire any more questions at him. Annabelle shook her head to clear some of the anger that buzzed around in her head. She walked to her laptop and took a seat. Barely had she accessed the typography of the area when Max Steel materialized beside her. Goosebumps on her flesh at his close proximity. "Are you sure it is a family vacation? Annabelle. You are getting into one battle after another." Annabelle meets the impish twinkle in his eyes with an icy glare alive with warning. His grin grew wider, naughtier, as unconcerned for her unspoken threats as he was for the vocal ones. "You were lying about the cheating!" A simple statement of fact. The corners of Annabelle's mouth lifted slightly, the movement of her sharp features implies amusement, "Oh! You think so?"
"From what I saw of David. He cares about you a lot." Unbidden, the images of two women who cared about him only to be disappointed entered his mind, Rachel and Laura. It is only for a split second but Annabelle catches the sudden shine of guilt and regret, breaking through his composed, almost blithe demeanor. Gone promptly before she can process it.
"He was happy to see you. Probably the only other person besides Woody. And he didn't look guilty or act like he needed to apologize."
"Sounds like you know all about being a lousy boyfriend who has to apologize daily." Annabelle interjects, eyelashes flutter in presumptuous perceptiveness. Face flushes a red hue and eyes narrow. She enjoys his reaction. He is on the verge on retaliating with a biting comment but changes his mind. Probably afraid he would reveal something that could put endanger the mystery woman's life. Annabelle privately resolves to trick him into divulging more.
"But the biggest clue was your behavior!" Returning to his smug, arrogant self, "You were a happy to see him." Annabelle nods agreeably, understanding the nature of his thoughts.
'I never would have pegged Max Steel as someone who could comprehend people's nature, but then again-his idea of playing possum in our last encounter showed a remarkable grasp of the complexities of a situation. In other words, he isn't a brain-dead, risk junkie, regardless of first impressions.'
"If he did betray you-there would be no forgiveness. You wouldn't have talked to him or shown him any mercy. You definitely would have not let him kiss you!"
He folds his arms across his chest and gives her his typical harsh glare of judgmental reproach, "Which means you lied about the cheating."
Chuckles are her response, the same mocking and triumphant sound he hears from every villain when they think they have won. "Brilliant deduction, Max. But did it ever occur to you that I might have forgiven him."
"Nope!" Max retorts, "If you were capable of forgiving and forgetting, you would have forgiven N-teck for the imaginary transgression, also taking into account the number of times I have defeated both of you."
Annabelle's face hardens with simmering anger and calculatingly, she studies him.
"You are going to try to stop their wedding." Voice taking on an accusatory pitch. The same forceful tenor, high pitched with righteous anger that filled her ears during every confrontation.
"And you are going to stop me." Tilts her head and regards him in curious interest. Max relapses into silence. For once, an answer did not come speedily to his lips. She had promised her assistance in finding Berto and until N-teck could find a better replacement-he had to work with her. If her plan was to destroy the wedding-was it any of his concern. He stopped terrorists-not crazy, ex-fiancés plotting to destroy a wedding. Unless she was going to launch a terrorist attack during the actual wedding-there is no need for him to intervene. Max decided to do what he always did- "Maybe." Making a non-committal noise.-the opposite of what common sense advised him to do.
Annabelle jerked in her seat, "It is none of your business." She snaps irately.
"No." He concedes, a puckish play to his features. She never hated that overconfident, imperious smirk he was always flashing more than she did now.
"But I am a big fan of weddings and I hate the idea that a blushing bride might lose her chance of happiness because of a mean, bitter terrorist."
"She is not a nice person." Annabelle hissed through gritted teeth. It is only a few minutes and already she can feel electricity crackling discreetly on her fingertips.
"she is nicer than you!" was the smart-mouthed retort.
An eyebrow arched, "Just because she is not a terrorist. you are taking her side!" Infusing a little resentment and exasperation into her voice.
"Yes."
Annabelle grinds her molars together, trying to cool the waves of hot anger descending her body one after the other. Steely eyes try to cut through him, but as usual-he wears his self-confident, slightly vain smirk as a shield. It infuriates her almost as much as Woody's denseness. "Fine." She snaps tetchily, "Take her side. Never mind I am helping you find your beloved N-tek operative." The chair swiveled around with a push of her toes. Stiffly, she faces the computer screen whilst her fingers begin hammering out commands for the computer. "It is horrible that you can be so unappreciative of everything I am doing for you." She can feel Max's gaze on her, the tint of ridicule grazes the back of her neck. The urge to laugh at the somewhat bratty behavior the evil villain seized Max and he probably would have, had realization not hit him first that he needed her. Not that he was going to reign in his laughter or deserving remarks. Oh no! Max Steel didn't accommodate any evil villain regardless of circumstances. He simply had to be a little cautious when poking fun of her.
Folding his arms on the back of her chair, he leans his weight in to whisper in her ear. His breath, warm and light with the flippant humor characteristic of Max Steel, brushes the curve of her ear. "Annabelle." The slow manner in which he curls his tongue around her name caused her neck and shoulders to tense. "I appreciate your help." She rolls her eyes as she notes how little he tries to hide the laughter in his voice. "It's not every day a supervillian decides to be helpful. I will be sure to treasure our moments together." Bristling, she scoffs openly at the phony sentiment exuding from his mannerisms, "You should cherish our time together." Pleased she sounded similarly superficial with an undercurrent of sarcastic. Then, her tone hardened fractionally, "One day I will destroy you. And I want you to relive fond memories of me-" She turned her head so he could perceive the cold assured glimmer in her eyes, "as you scream to your death."Her breath caught in her throat at the close proximity of their faces. From this closeness, certain details about each other's features can be discerned. His eyes are a cobalt hue sparkling with subdued impishness even when he is serious. Skin is coated with a sandy tan.
Max briefly admires the electric blue of her eyes, sparkling with an intelligent intensity under thick, curvy eyelashes. Features are sharply edged and her mouth is . As far as supervillians are concerned, Annabelle is by no means the prettiest-but she sure beat Woody in the looks department. A hyena is better looking than Woody.
Abruptly, Annabelle turns and squares her shoulders. A flutter of silky darkness that raises a sudden small breeze of tangy fruits, namely citrus. Fleetingly, he thinks shampoo scented with the essence of fruit is an odd choice for a supervillian, specifically Annabelle Barkowski. Nothing clashes more with her personality than a fruit mix, something clinical or sharp would be more in her taste.
"In order to find your operative, I am going to need access to the N-tek satellite!" Her demand immediately rouses his suspicion. "Wait. You want me to give me access to N-tek technology!" Displays incredulous amusement at the very notion. Winging his eyebrows and tilting his head in a look. Frustration and annoyance sparks on her facile, the corners of her lips pull backwards to reveal a pointed-canine sneer, "There is no way for me to track your agents whereabouts without a graphic map of the area, since most of it is mountains, forestry and rough terrain." Max opens his mouth to speak but it is swiftly cut off. "-and while I do know the area. I don't have a recent topographical map of it." The sharpness of suspicion fades, dubious eyes drill into the back of her head, tainted with hesitation and contemplative thought. "I need the map to act as a guideline for building a device that can pinpoint even the smallest signal or any new structures."
"And the N-tek satellite can help you do it!"
"Yes!" The response is haughty and slightly mocking.
Max didn't even consider asking his father about the plan. From his last run-in with Annabelle's technology, he knew for a fact that allowing her even a small window of opportunity is dangerous. There is a high probability that N-tek's defenses will be left vulnerable or worse, she could siphon valuable information. He recalls the last time Berto thought he was smarter than her. The genius scientist thought it would be easy for him to reconfigure her bots to be security personnel. Even in jail. Electrix is still a pain in the bot!
This is what prompted him to ask, "Is there another way?"
Heaving an irritated sigh, she responds reluctantly in a deprecating tone, "Yes, you can take earthquake surveys of the area, and see if there are any indications of some disruptions from electrical to thermal."
Max brightens at the idea. It is a lot safer than giving Annabelle control of N-tek's technology. "Ok. let's try that!"
"Alright," Annabelle said tightly, "You go do that then..." Max straightens, his eyes on her, searching, "You're going to behave right!" There is a warning in his tone.
Gritting her teeth, she snaps, "Focus on your mission, Steel." Turning her back to him.
A frown on his lips, then he leans to her ear, "Whatever happened between you and her.. its in the past...you are so much more than a jealous weak ex girlfriend." Annabelle shuts her eyes, feeling a flutter as his warm breath caresses her ear. She knows if she turns around now, he will be gone...but she appreciates his tiny bit of kindness.