Chapter 6: An Epiphany, A Realization

Theme Songs: Scars on 45: Breakdown, Vanessa Carlton: Hands on Me, and Monica Lionheart: Escape Strategy

There were no exchanged words on the ride home, nor were there any that night, or the next day, or the day after that. I finally got sick of it and impatiently stormed into Slade's room to find it completely barren of both him and the equipment it was once adorned with. What the smuckers? I thought. Where is he? "Slade!" I called him, my voice echoing throughout his man cave. "Slade! Dammit, Slade, where the frick are you?"

Out of frustration I grabbed a fork from out of the kitchen drawers and stabbed it into the wall. "When I get my hands on you—!" Her angry cry was interrupted by a hand ripping the fork out of the wall. "Do I need to get you one of those stress balls?" Slade smartly asked. I wheeled around and flung a ferocious glare at him. "Where the hell have you been? Why is all your stuff cleared out of your cave?"

If it could have been seen, you would have seen Slade's eyebrow twitch upward. "I'm cleaning it out and refurbishing it." My mouth gaped open. "And you couldn't have told me that?" I shouted incredulously. "I've been looking for you for three days. Where did you even put the stuff that was in your cave?" He shrugged. "I have a spare room I use for times like these."

"But, come here." He gently took me by the arm and led me down the hall into a room about half the size of his cave. "I found something on your brother." "Really? Let me see." I held out my hand and looked down at the packet he handed me. "These are credit card records. They're under the name Aiken Ma'Niah Claymore. What does this have to do with Ash?"

He sat down in his swivel chair in front of the computer monitor. "I pulled up records of an Aiken Claymore and it seems he doesn't legally exist. I believe it's an alias as to what his real name is. Banks are required to photograph all credit card owners. I hacked into the database for the Jump City's bank. They share information with other banks so they can make sure information checks out if need be. From the picture you gave me of your brother when we first met, it seems this would be how he would look now."

Flashback: "Is there some type of identification of your brother that will help me locate him?" Slade asked me. I bit my lip and fumbled in my pocket for my wallet. I slipped out a window-sized picture and handed it to him. "This is what he looked like when he was ten. It's the only picture I have." Slade nodded. "That'll be fine."

"I ran it through a simulator. From what you've told me before, he should be about 35 or 36 now." He pressed a button and a picture came up. A shaky wave of cold came over me. "Yes, that's him." Slade nodded. "He stopped using his credit cards about a year and a half ago. He could have started paying in cash. Maybe he knows you're getting closer to finding him."

I sighed and ran a hand through my disheveled hair. "Ok, so he's in Jump City right? Do you have an address from the bank's records?" "I do. But considering that he's on the run it may not be the only one or even the correct one. It could be a fake." He continued typing away.

"I'll check it anyway." He wrote the address down on a notepad and handed me the slip of paper. "I'll be back in a little bit."

0o0o0o0o0o0

I pulled up to Ash's supposed address. It was a well-kept street with kids playing basketball in their yards and power walkers walking their groomed dogs. "Looks like I'm not the only one taking other people's money. There's no way you could afford this house otherwise. You wouldn't dare take the chance of me finding you," I muttered under my breath.

I climbed out of the car and walked up to the house. "Time to meet your maker, Ash," I whispered and rang the doorbell. I could hear light footsteps pad down a hallway and then the click of a door as the doorknob turned. The door opened to reveal a little girl with white blonde hair and blue eyes. "Hi, can I help you?"

I was frozen. How could I repay my brother with this little girl here? I slapped on a fake smile and bent down to her level. "Hi, my name's Cassandra. I'm here to see Aiken. Is he here?" She smiled brightly. "Oh you mean my dad. He's here. Come on in." Ash had a daughter? But she looks nothing like him.

I followed her into what had to be a living room overseen by a kitchen. A slim brunette stood there wiping down the counter. "Leona! How many times have I told you not to open the door by yourself? Who's this?" she scolded. I stepped forward and offered her my hand. "Um, hi. I'm sorry to barge in like this. My name's Cassandra. I'm here to see Aiken. Family matters."

She nodded hesitantly and shook my hand. "Aren. I'm Aiken's wife." I felt like my breath had disappeared. "It's very nice to meet you. Is he here?" I looked around. "Can I speak to him?" "Uh…sure," she said. "Let me go get him." She walked off to find him. I looked down at the little girl. "So your name's Leona? That's a pretty name. What grade are you in?" She held up five fingers. "Fifth. I look older than I am. I'm really 10."

"Wow," I said. "You're taller than I was when I was 10. You're going to be pretty tall when you get older." She smiled at me and looked to a doorway as her mom and dad came in. "Here he is," Aren announced and moved out of the way so I could see my brother. I felt like my heart would stop. So this was the man who'd killed my parents. Made me cry alone at night and hug my teddy bear close to my face to muffle my pained screams? I couldn't believe it.

His hair was cut short. A long lightly puckered scar ran from his temple to his bottom lip. He was even taller than I thought he'd be, probably even taller than Slade. From the way he limped, I could tell something was wrong with his leg. He was missing his right one and in its place from the knee down was a fake leg. "Ash," I breathed.

Sorry for taking so long guys, but here it is and I hope you like it. Tell me what you think and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Ti amo. 3