Finder

Ellen woke up three days later feeling wonderful. No-Pain had that effect on people.

As memory returned she glanced at her hand, little furtive glances until she could bare to look at the whole thing.

"Wonderful!" She breathed, opening and closing the appendage before wiggling each of the slightly too pink fingers individually.

"The doctors did a good job, didn't they?" Ralph looked down at her, a dark suited streak in the brilliant whiteness of the hospital room. He reached down to hold her hand, squeezing the new fingers gently.

"Yes." She smiled, "What happened?" Suddenly worried, "Were you…hurt?"

"I was shielded by part of the elevator door. Many Seekers were not so lucky."

"But what? How?" Her eyes widened, tearing up as she realized it was a who not a what.

"Clementine?" She whispered.

"Who?"

"The woman I was speaking too…before?"

Ralph nodded, "Oh, you mean Cloudy!"

…

Clementine, Insertion Center a week earlier.

If you don't take care one day you might wake up dead.

I never believed that of corse, being seventeen makes you immortal-at least in your own mind.

Until one day I, well, DID. Mine, all mine.

No way, bitch. I could FEEL it inside me and I'd never known I could hate anything so much. I could feel its surprise, surprise and a touch of alarm, I'm going to slice you out of me and bite you in two before I die.

I imagined the crunching gooeyness of the worm between my teeth and it recoiled momentarily. It was strong though, I could feel it inside my brain even though Father said that the brain has no pain sensors.

You will loose, it sounded smug, and defiantly female- I recognized the voice, who'd have thought that Voices stay the same? Not me, but then I never intended to end up like this.

Should have saved that last bullet for myself instead of her, STUPID!

You will loose, and I will have your secrets.

Secrets? How's this? I sent her images of the thermite burning through the worm-tanks. I sent her images of the worm I'd cut out of a Seeker's body while both were still breathing. I sent her images of the experiments. They had made ME feel sick at the time, but right now I gloried in the horror.

"I'm going to kill you!" The voice was mine, even through teeth locked together.

No… I got an image of a horse, a big black stallion bucking and trying to throw its rider, the image changed to it being trotted across a field.

We'll see, bitch. I 'felt' for my hand, wanting to move it. That was a really strange feeling. When I couldn't find it I started to scream.

It had been just over a week since the explosion; Ellen sat at the table, studying the menu without any real desire to eat. She absently twisted a stray stand of hair, trying to keep her breathing even.

"Hi…" Ralph surprised her with the gentle pressure on her shoulder, making her start.

"Hi!" She smiled, putting her hand on his briefly as he sat beside her.

"How are you today?" he leaned forwards to kiss her but she moved a back just a little so he missed.

"I like your report-I think the council will be interested in what you have to say." He glanced around, "are you nervous about…?"

"Oh…no," Ellen shook her head, "I just cant decide what to Order!"

"The salad is very good here." He looked past her head, raising a hand and waving.

As the object of his attention came closer, he rose and shook the woman's hand, "Ellen, this is Cloud's Pass Outside The Crystal Window."

Clemie had grown into a fine looking young woman, though Ellen was sure that she would never have worn that much eye make-up or such a loud shade of lipstick.

"Just Cloudy! Short, pretty, like me! Beats 'Pass Out' too..." She smiled at her own joke, shaking Ellen's hand as she sat. Looking around and signaling the waiter to bring her water she reached for a breadstick.

"Cloudy works in the New Mexico Office." Ralph said, "She is a Senior Seeker."

"Senior but not old!" Ellen was struck with how cheery the other woman was, Cheery and open, and no doubt honest, altruistic and noble, even if she did wear too much make up.

A memory of the original Ellen's mother floated to the surface of her mind-"a girl who dresses like that is wanting one thing and you can bet she's sure to get it if there's a boy around."

Ellen imagined, Clementine's grandma wouldn't have been impressed by a skirt that tight or the low cut blouse either.

Clemie would never have dressed so…like a Painted Jezebel?

Freely, she corrected herself; Clementine would never have dressed so freely...

Ellen sniffed disdainfully and took a breadstick and bit it slowly, trying not to feel the wave of what could not possibly be intense dislike that was churning around her stomach. Souls cared deeply for each other; anything else was simply not in their nature.

She smiled as sweetly as she could and asked about Cloudy's health.

"No need to beat about the bush- I know what you wanted to see me for." The other woman brushed a strand of Clemie's hair out of her eyes.

"You do?" Ellen asked, the pitch of her voice rising.

"Of course." She leaned forwards, putting her hands onto Ellen's, "I understand how you must feel-" she tapped her temple with Clemie's slender fingers, "I have her memories…most of them anyway. She's a REAL resistant Host." The other woman smiled wryly, "real resistant! But I'm a specialist."
"She's…" Ellen felt faint, "Conscious? Is that…possible?" her stomach churned slightly.

"It happens, I'm sure Ralph's been filling you in on all that good stuff." Cloudy shook her head, eyes rolling, "But no, Clemie's dormant now. When I saw you it gave us a real start-had her jumping all over my skull like cat on a hot tin roof."

"I'll bet!" Ralph looked repulsed and fascinated at the same time, "I can't imagine what having one of them inside you must be like." He shivered, laughing at himself.

Ellen's smile became very, very thin. Her upper and lower molars crunching tight against each other. Cloudy noticed and leaned forwards, looking earnest.

"Anyway- you have NO reason to worry about Leo coming after you again-he cant hide in a city for long and the memories I've accessed make us sure he'll still be obsessed with killing me-he made Clemie promise to do the same for him if he ever got implanted…bet he's scary mad about the detonator on his car bomb being a dud." Cheerily grinning she lifted the breadstick and crunched with bright teeth.

"Oh." Ellen smiled a very real smile for a brief moment, then reached out for her glass and took a slow gulp of water to steady herself.

"Actually… I was just a bit curious."
"Curious?" Cloudy asked, leaning forwards to study the menu. Ellen noticed Ralph's eye brows move upwards as his eyes studied the vista provided by two open top buttons.

"About…Clemie."

Cloudy looked up at her blank faced for just a seconds too long and then gave a smile that would probably fool any person who wasn't a Seeker, or well versed in facial expressions of wild humans.

"Clemie…? Shoot-What did you want to know?" her tone was conversational.
"Oh…" Ellen fought to keep the rising tide of panic out of her voice, "I was just…wondering…Uhh…what she'd been doing…all this…time." She laughed a little hysterically, "Silly really."

Ralph was looking at her with concern but Clemie's perfect teeth were on display in a smile sunnier then any the real girl had when she'd been herself Ellen thought sourly.

"Nothing you need to feel guilty about!" She reached out and lay a hand over one of Ellen's, "You were held against your will and had no idea that Leo would turn Clementine into an evil, murderous, disgusting monster who would do things that I could never tell you about-" she lowered her voice, "Things that made Senior Seekers who've been here since almost the beginning sick to see."

"Oh." Ellen brushed her eyes, furiously blinking, "I…I see."

"Don't worry." Cloudy gave her hand a sympathetic pat; "I know that being…with them… for that long could make you…conflicted. I probably shouldn't have come-I'm sorry to have caused you pain." She sounded like she meant it and probably did.

"You didn't!" Ellen protested, rubbing angrily at her eyes with the table napkin, "No…I was just…See- I'm FINE now!" Her eyes were red and puffy.

"You sure are!" Cloudy nodded, face friendly but grave, "You need me to call your Comforter?"
"N..No." Ellen drew in a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, "I'm…Ralph and I were discussing this earlier…Biological Attachments are something new for us."

"Tell me about it!" On safer ground now, Cloudy relaxed a little "Back when it was just a few of us we had all KINDS of problems."
"You were here in…the beginning?" Ellen found herself curious despite the ridiculous hormonal upset her body was putting her through.

"Sure was-" pride was an acceptable emotion for Soul's, "Back then I was a motel clerk-busy work, dangerous too."
"You said there were…" This WAS what Ralph had first contacted her about after all, "Issues?"
"Yeah-we had all ki…" She blew a stray lock of hair out of her eyes, "But, you know- that's all in the past! Old soldier's and stories-you know what its like." She began to rise.

"What will happen to Cl…your current Host? Will you keep it?"

"Oh…I guess I'll be keeping it until we draw Leo out…That monster has killed too many of us to get away this time." Cloudy glanced at Ralph, "This one's a goodie, and she's had a hard time- So take good care of her, hear me?"
"She most certainly is." Ralph agreed, holding onto Ellen's hand and squeezing it a little.

"Take care now!" Cloudy nodded to them both and walked towards the door, her high heels clicking.

Slut, Ellen watched her swinging Clemie's backside with narrowing eyes.

Normally she would have felt bad at such a hateful thought.

Right now she wasn't quite normal.

…

Feet on the sofa in her temporary apartment Cloudy shook her head as she read the report on her phone. Still no sign of Leo even though he had never been able to stay anywhere very long without murdering people. In the days of Humans that might go unnoticed, but not now.

Pulling the page down with a quick swipe of her thumb on the screen she lifted her coffee to her lips, hissing slightly when she scolded her lips.

There was a knock at her door and she looked up expectantly, "Yes?"

There was another knock, this time more urgent, but no reply. Cloudy's eyes narrowed as her feet swung down onto the ugly but long wearing commercial carpet.

Her hand was already moving to the holster at her waist, drawing the snub nosed revolver and cocking the hammer.

"Who's there?" she called again from beside the sofa, running barefoot and silent to the door, peering through the spy hole.

Rolling her eyes she thankfully re-holstered the gun- only very few of the Seekers had learnt to like the nasty things and Cloudy was not one of them. Enjoying the chase now THAT was perfectly normal because it was all about doing the right thing- keeping people safe.

"Hi Ellen!" She smiled as honestly as she was able, which was a strain "This IS a surprise!"

"I brought food!" Ellen smiled, so nervous that even a newbie would have seen it.

"I see…." Cloudy smiled, looking at the greasy take out and wondering how to deal with the poor woman, "What can I do for you?"

"I wanted to talk."

"I'd LOVE to, Ellen…but, you see I'm kind of busy with work."

"I really NEED to talk…"

"Don't you think a Comforter might me better then me?" She rested a gentle hand on Ellen's shoulder, "I mean…isn't my Host causing you stress?" She searched the other woman's face, "Huh? Yeah? Its OK to say it."

"Oh…no…I mean, I…I NEED to! It would make me feel so much better…" She looked so pathetic that Cloudy's heart broke for her and she resigned herself to loosing an hour.

"Better come in then…" she stepped back, turning to walk back to the sofa, "Do you want som-OWWW!" turning, she reached up gingerly to rub her smarting scalp, looking at Ellen in surprise.

"Careful with that thing!"
"Sorry!" Ellen lifted the small metal cylinder that she was holding and pressed the stud at about the same time Cloudy's Seeker senses were warning her that something was not quite right.

The floor rushed up to meet her.

…

Ellen drove at exactly the speed limit, fingers white knuckled on the wheel and her heart banging away in her chest like she'd been running.

"Where did you come from? Where did you go? Where did you come from Cotton Eye Joe!" she sang along with the radio at the top of her voice.

"Can you turn that down?"

She sang another two verses until the song ended, reaching out to change stations as the voice in back got louder and more irritated.

"How are you feeling?" Ellen finally asked, turning the radio down and glancing in the mirror.

"Why have you got me cuffed in the back of your car?" Cloudy asked, looking down at her bound ankles.

"Because if you weren't cuffed you wouldn't be in the back of my car!" Ellen laughed, she laughed a little longer then she felt she ought but it was hard to stop.

"My mouth hurts…and do I have a black eye?" Cloudy didn't look worried, just puzzled at this strange turn of events.

"You hit it on the carpet." Lied Ellen, "Sorry about that."

"You hit me…." Cloudy shook her head to clear the cobwebs, wincing a little, "YOU HIT ME on the head with…Then…why am I here?"

"We're going for a little drive…"
"I don't want to go for a drive!" She said sharply, "I have work to do!"

"You can get back to your work soon."

"Ellen…I think you're having some kind of…hormonal thing." Cloudy narrowed her eyes, "Are you planning to do something…anti-social?"

"Uhm…anti-social?" Ellen giggled wildly, "What? Me? Hahah!"

"You're making me…uncomfortable." Cloudy said slowly, "I think you should take me back to LA now."
"But…I will! In just a little while…"
"Ellen…" Cloudy's voice took on a warning tone, "I think your behaving in a very disturbing manner."

"ME?" She laughed, turning up the radio. "Oh! We're just having a little drive! You and me…two friends…OH, This one's my favorite!" She turned the volume up until the windows vibrated to the strains of Jesus loves the little children.

They drove for several hours stopping when they came to a small house far from the others- to Cloudy it looked like the sort of creepy ass place wild humans hung out in. She noticed with concern that Ellen drove the car around the back of the building where it couldn't easily be seen from the road.

Turning the car off Ellen gripped the wheel, breathing slowly with her eyes closed. Everything is fine. Everything is wonderful…I am a beautiful Soul among other beautiful Souls.

"If you let me go now we could…go eat." Cloudy suggested in a soothing voice, "You know, a burger sounds pretty good right about now…doesn't it Ellen?"

Ellen concentrated on her deep breathing.

"You know…I bet Ralph will be wondering where you are about now…maybe you should give him a call."

Ellen's eyes opened involuntarily, glancing at the empty phone cradle on her dash. She closed her eyes again and breathed.

"I am a happy beautiful Soul among other souls."
"You sure are!" Cloudy sighed with relief that the silence was broken.

"I am a loving creature."
"We all are!"

"I always do the right thing."

"The right thing would be letting me out of my own cuffs…" Cloudy suggested, "We could go eat…I could use a salad about now-how about you?"

"I always do the right thing."

"We'll laugh about this next week…wont we?" Cloudy tried to laugh but it died in her throat as the other woman opened her eyes, unbuckled her seat belt and turned around to face the back.

"I may." She raised the cylinder.

…

"Oh my darling, oh my darling, oh my darling Clementine…" Singing…Mother was singing to me, which was weird. It was still dark in the cave, and cold…so cold. Why was she trying to wake me up?

"Clemie…Clemie Darling."

I growled low in my throat and grumbled something at her but she just kept on talking through my tiredness.

"WHAT?" I opened my eyes, scowling at her and she burst into tears. She started to kiss me, getting my face all wet. She was going to ruin my make up.

I wondered why I would be wearing make-up.

"Mom…?"

"Oh yes Clemie! I'm here!"