Kyra bit her nails anxiously. Thoughts of where Sabathy was, if she had found her mother, were constantly running through her head. It had been three hours… three hours…
The dim kitchen lights were enough to send Kyra into a slumber, and she nearly dozed off, her arm slipping underneath her as she sat at the kitchens island. She had that nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach, desperate to know the truth, which had kept her awake since eight this evening. It was now eleven thirty, and the feline shapeshifter still hadn't returned…
"Kyra?" A voice called, from the large archway. She didn't turn, but still stared at the clock on the opposite wall, the seconds ticking by so slowly it seemed. It wasn't until Tamara moved into her line of view did she finally look up at her rounded face, creased with worry.
"Look," Tamara sat before her, blocking Kyra's view of the clock, "Sabathy will return. She's currently a cat, their fast, but need time to find their way home. New York's a big place," Tamara smiled, attempting to inject humour into the tense situation. Kyra couldn't even force a smile, even if Tamara's warm face urged her to do so.
"I don't know Tamara. Everything is moving so fast, I'm still being searched for I know it. After what happened before I came here… And my mom, she's probably locked up somewhere, helpless and terrified," Kyra whispered. Tamara sighed and hugged her closely, Kyra burying her face into Tamara's shoulder.
"Oh great, that's just what we need, lesbians in the house." A voice snarled. Tamara parted slowly and turned to the doorway, as Kyra leaned back and buried her face into her hands.
"Katelin, go away, she's upset," Tamara simply said.
"I will, when she does. What the hell is she doing here anyway?" Katelin nastily said, folding her arms and cocking her head to one side.
"She was revealed Katelin, you of all people should know how that –"
"My stepfather was hitting me, okay?" Kyra exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "I ran away from home, was found by Elisa then the police tried to capture me so I revealed my powers to push things. So that's why I'm here, okay Katelin?"
The olive skinned mutant raised her eyebrows in shock; it had been a long time since someone had spoken to her like that in the house.
"If you think, that I'm going to be spoken too like that from a blond haired bimbo like you, then you seriously need to re-evaluate your attitude, Kyra." Katelin hissed, stepping forward, squaring straight up to the heavily breathing teen. They were both within inches of each other, the tips of their noses almost touching, Kyra staring straight into those cat like eyes.
"Guys, this isn't the time. Leave it." Tamara commanded, gently taking Kyra's arm and leading her back to her seat. The two mutant's eyes did not break their contact until Kyra sat and turned to face the clock. Katelin shot her a lethal look and stalked past her to the sink to retrieve a glass of water. Tamara's eyes followed her, narrowed, and then she sat; looking at Kyra.
"Ignore her. I know it's hard, but she'll lay off you soon enough." Tamara assured, as Katelin airily passed them and disappeared to the right, her long curtain of dark hair swinging behind her.
"I hope so, because she's gonna drive me crazy being like that." Kyra muttered. She rose from her seat then made to the window, still biting her nails, hoping that she may spot a sleek house cat slip across the street. Tamara watched her, brow furrowed.
Kyra parted the blinds and peered through to the quiet and darkened road outside. There was no sign of a ginger house cat, just a few stationary cars, the yellow police tape around the spot she was revealed and a few dim street lamps. She shivered at the sight of the police tape, and turned away, that night flooding back in a blurry haze. She felt a weight drop in her stomach.
"She isn't coming back."
"Kyra," Tamara quietly said, "she's coming back, trust me."
She ran a hand through her floppy blonde hair and returned once again to her seat, her head bowed, the tears welling again. Tamara rubbed her back therapeutically but cocked her head up at the sound of the cat flap out in the hallway.
"Kyra, its Sabathy!" Tamara cried, smiling widely. Kyra jumped to her feet and, just as Tamara had said, in strolled a human form Sabathy, tousle haired but smiling weakly.
"Oh, thank God!" Kyra exclaimed, rushing to Sabathy and hugging her in a bone crushing embrace. Sabathy squealed in pain and gently removed Kyra from breaking anymore bones.
"It's nice to see you to Kyra," Sabathy croaked.
Kyra parted and stood back, but her enlightened mood dipped at the sight of Sabathy's crestfallen face. "Sabathy, what is it? Is my mom hurt?"
Sabathy didn't reply but hobbled past her and sat in the vacant seat that was Kyra's. "No, she's fine, I think,"
"What?"
"I mean, she looks okay Kyra, but she's locked up. She's in the cells." Sabathy said, looking upwards, her large teal coloured eyes sparkling with sympathy.
Kyra felt a knot tie in her stomach, it was what she had feared but she still couldn't suppress the anxious feelings, even if her mother was possibly in the safest place she could be.
"Thanks, Sabathy. I really appreciate what you've done. But I need to see her; I need to speak to her,"
"No." Tamara instantly said. "No way, not out there by yourself in New York, of all places! Do you know how dangerous it is? Especially since everyone within a ten mile radius knows you're a mutant!"
Kyra whirled around. "Look Tamara, this is my mom at stake! She could have been transferred right now for all I know to some other station, or prison for that matter! I have to speak to her!"
"You can't. Its eleven forty five, Kyra. My dad will know if you leave."
"Not if I can help it."
"No, Annika." Tamara insisted.
The tall, pale skinned mutant stepped into the room, dressed in black, one thin eyebrow arched up into her thick fringe. "Why? I'm an empath I can make everyone in this building fall into the deepest sleep they could ever have,"
Tamara sighed and threw up her hands, her soft face creased. "No! If you go then that gives any psycho out there a better chance to kill even more of you. I'm not letting you go, Annika."
"I don't care what anyone says I'm going. I need to see her Tamara. You don't understand." Kyra pressed, her eyes blazing as she stared at Tamara. Her face fell, defeated.
"You go near that door… And you're on your own." Tamara spat and she sat back down, her back to the three girls. It hurt Kyra to see the only proper friend she had made here, turn against her. Kyra could see why, but she couldn't just hang around here when she knew that her mother was out there. Alone.
"I'm going. Annika, you with me?" The black haired mutant nodded enthusiastically. Kyra turned to Sabathy. "I'm not asking you to come, but I have no idea where these cells are."
"I do," Annika chirped, "I was a real bad ass in junior high, but don't ask."
Kyra nodded and headed for the large archway, but she paused and turned to Tamara and Sabathy.
"Tamara, please don't tell your mom. Sabathy, don't worry, I'm gonna be fine. I promise I'll be back before sunrise. Thanks." Kyra sternly said, she turned once more and headed for the door, Annika close behind. Sabathy opened her mouth to protest, but held her tongue when she saw Annika disappear from view.
Kyra made her way down the dark hallway; the only ghostly light that from the small box window on the door. Kyra reached for the door but suddenly felt a pale, cold hand grip her wrist. She gasped and turned to the flight of stairs. The perpetrator stepped down… it was Billy.
"You scared the hell outta me,"
"Where are you going? You're not leaving, are you?" Billy insisted, yawning.
"I know where my mom is, so I'm going to look for her. Don't come Billy. I won't be long." Kyra rapidly said, scanning Billy's incredibly cute yet tired face.
"No way, it's too late. Don't be stupid Kyra." Billy whispered, slightly more alert, his grip tighter. Kyra frowned and pulled him off, watching as Billy's eyes opened some more, steadily becoming more awake.
"Leave me alone Billy. I have Annika; it's going to be fine."
"I'm not letting you leave Kyra, you can find her in the morning." Billy said an octave louder. Kyra narrowed her eyes at his persistence and attempted to shuffle his broad frame out of her way. He just grabbed both of her wrists and held her close.
"Don't be stupid, you're not going," Billy murmured.
As fast and as sleek as a fox, Annika slipped beside the scrapping pair and lightly touched Billy's forehead. A golden haze, like mist, enveloped his head and he slumped down the wall, releasing Kyra's arms. A large dopey smile arose across his face and he began quietly chuckling at the sight of his bare feet in his pajama bottoms.
"He's gonna be fine. He's now got the temporary mind set of a six year old." Annika whispered a sly smirk on her face. Kyra stared in amazement at Billy's comical mental alteration then turned her attention to the door. As quiet as she could she unbolted the three thick metal locks and twisted the key. With a slight creak, the door opened and a chilly breeze blew into the hallway. Kyra shivered and wrapped her hoodie tightly around her, then stepped out into the dark New York night. She turned to Annika, who was moving Billy further up the staircase. He plonked back down on a step and began playing rock, paper, scissors with himself.
She then moved out and swept her left hand over before her, in one swift motion. The golden haze she had passed onto Billy drifted up into the house like an invasive mist, intent on infecting any person it could find. Annika then closed the door.
"We need to cover our tracks. Anyone struck with the sleep mist will be in a very deep sleep for a good six hours." She turned to Kyra with that sly smile and made her way down the street, her thick heeled boots clapping on the sidewalk.
Kyra gave one last appreciative glance at the deceptively dilapidated electronics shop and ran after Annika, hoping she would be back in the morning, and praying she could speak to her mother.