RETURNING HOME
Chapter 2
Fun Times and Dark Secrets
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Alex, Ray, and Annie sat on top of the tallest building in Paradise Valley looking up at the stars. Over the last half hour they had been on the roof Annie noticed that Alex and Ray had been moving slowly closer together, now to the point where Ray had his arm around her shoulder and her head was resting on his. Annie also noticed that the two of them were now holding hands, and she was beginning to feel like a third wheel.
"You know if you guys want to be alone I don't mind giving you your space", Annie told them sincerely.
Alex immediately started to glow as she and Ray pulled apart. She kind of stuck her head down before speaking, "No that's ok, and I didn't mean to get lost in moment."
"Look you're both 28 now and when's the last time either of you was in a relationship with anyone?" Annie asked.
"It's been awhile", the both answered simultaneously.
"I figured", Annie replied, "Listen you two have known each other forever, you're like two halves of the same person and you belong together."
"Annie he's my best friend", Alex responded shocked.
"So", Annie said back,"That would just make it easier."
"Not to mention weird", Ray responded.
"Since when did you play matchmaker Annie?" Alex asked
"Since he's about the only guy I think I could trust", she replied, "Listen it's getting late, maybe we should head back."
"Yeah, I guess you're right", Alex said taking their hands and flying down off the building.
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He sat in a darkened office rubbing his temples, even though the sun had gone down hours ago he had still not turned on a single light. He winced in pain when the knock on his door sounded and shuffled around his messy desk for his glasses before telling his visitor to enter.
"Come in", he snarled at the door.
A man standing about five foot ten inches with a slightly receding hairline and a graying mustache entered the office carrying two folders.
"This had better be good news", the man behind the desk said quite clearly annoyed.
"We..well sir CPD – 9 failed, the test subject passed away this morning from complications", the other man stated timidly.
The man behind the desk scowled, "Exactly what kind of complications?"
"Well", the balding man said, "he entered a state of psychosis and ripped his own throat out."
The man at the desk sighed, "Make the usual preparations and add Compound-9 to the disposal list. I also want you to begin preparations for our next experiment."
"Well I actually have an idea you might like", the other man said while handing him a folder.
"Formula 161, active ingredient GC-161, complete weight loss and muscle building product", the man at the desk looked up from the file, "I'm not impressed, we're trying to create better operatives, not get them to lose a little weight."
"Sir you don't understand, this product was pulled off the shelves only minutes before its release to the public because of its 'dangerous' side effects." He said while turning the page in the file to show the recall order.
"There's no side effects listed, have you found out what they were?" the man behind the desk asked sarcastically.
"Nothing concrete but reports say it completely rewrites the DNA with a large enough dose, and it's rumored to provide the contaminated with telekinesis, the ability to shoot electricity from extremities, and the ability to liquefy and re-solidify at will." He responded.
"And how exactly do we know this Dr. Thomson, its bad practice to rely on rumors." The man at the desk said coldly.
"We have some reports that fifteen years ago a kid was involved in an accident with a chemical truck and was drenched with the compound" Dr. Thomson answered.
"Where is this chemical plant?" the man asked.
"Paradise Valley, California", Thomson answered.
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It was a beautiful Sunday morning and Alex was incredibly annoyed that her sister was trying to wake her up at seven am to run some more tests. After about twenty minutes she got so frustrated she sat straight up in bed and grabbed Annie by the shirt.
"I just got into town yesterday, I took you and Ray out flying, and I only have a week before I start at the high school. I'm not getting up at seven and your tests can wait for me since I'm the one with the powers. Are we clear?" she roared at her sister who just blankly nodded. "Good", and with that she lied back down and put her pillow over her head.
"Twenty-eight years old and still a pain to get out of bed", Annie muttered to herself unintentionally getting heard by Alex who once again sat up in bed.
"What time do you go to work during the week?" she asked still irritated.
"between eight and nine, why", Annie returned.
"When I have to go to work I have to be there no later than seven, so I want to sleep in while I still can", she grumbled while getting up.
"I'm sorry", Annie tried to get back in her sisters good graces, "I'll be more considerate in the future."
"I'll meet you in the garage in about half an hour, I want breakfast first", she moaned before stalking into the bathroom.
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Thirty minutes later Annie was in the garage preparing her old clipboard and measuring tape to test out Alex's morphing ability when she almost had a heart attack as she watched herself enter the room.
"Hi Annie", the doppelganger said cheerfully upon entering the garage clearly in Alex's voice.
"Alex what the hell are you doing?" she practically yelled through her shock.
"I thought it would be a funny trick to play" Alex said morphing into a puddle and then back to herself laughing the whole time, "You should have seen the look on your face."
"Don't you ever do that to me again!" Annie yelled still visibly shaken.
"Call it payback for waking me up this morning", Alex replied with a sly smile.
"What's all this yelling about girls", George said sternly walking into the garage.
"Show him Alex", Annie said with a bit of temper in her voice.
Alex morphed back into a puddle and reformed into an exact duplicate of her mother.
"Holy hell Alex", George was also beyond shock with new development, "How long have you been able to do that?"
"About three years", she replied changing back to herself.
"Alex", Annie said, "You've turned into a shape shifter who can fly and control lightning"
"Yes, I know", she replied, "But I'm not a science project.
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a/n: Chapter 2 was actually pretty fun to write even if I did it at work.