Rage Issues

Nine

Sakura's hands were divine against my bare skin, banishing stress and fatigue wherever they went, the gentle scent of lavender and eucalyptus clinging to the air only made each touch more effective. Forty minutes into the session, and she didn't show a sign of slowing down or stopping anytime soon, and I hoped she didn't. "God, Sakura..." I muttered, moaning a little in pleasure. "I think you have the power to turn any straight woman gay, and any gay man straight..."

"That's the oils doing that." She replied. "Lavender, in all it's wonders for stress, does have that little draw back, making people a little more... turned on. Me touching you probably doesn't help that any. Don't you worry though, you'll feel so much more relieved when this is done with."

"Best part is, you're local, so if I need your services again, I know where to find you." She laughed and sighed.

"True, but just don't go spreading it around that I can do this. I'll never get five minutes to myself, what with all the stress bouncing about." I responded with a chuckle of my own, which devolved into a content sigh. The tension from before was still thick as the minutes rolled on for at least another half an hour, and by the time she finally stopped, I was so relaxed I couldn't stand properly. Helping me to a sitting position, she pulled up a chair and sat, sighing. "And now... for the part I've been dreading. Trinsha, I just want you to know I value our friendship, and all it comes with... but I'm afraid I've not been terribly open with you or your brother." She inhaled, held it, then released it before continuing. "I don't have porphyria. I never did... I didn't drink Emma's blood... I'm a member of the EFH, injected with the F.E.V. to mix into Revenant society to kill you and your brother." It seemed like she was getting a load off her chest.

"I know." I answered quickly, smiling.

"Wait... you... you knew?" I smiled and jumped off the table, bracing against it to prevent a fall.

"Of course. Emma's blood was never on ice in any hospital, and even if it was, it wouldn't have been the F.E.V. infected sample, it would have been a pure, human sample; and besides, we did a background check on you when you first came to the Quarantine Zone. It's a well-known fact, at least according to your Pre-Infection Police Record that 'Sakura Sunday' was an alias for Anne Gallagher, an ex-con who joined the EFH when they raided and liberated the Las Vegas Correctional Facility after the end of the Infection. I think the only true thing you've told us so far is you're a masseuse." I rubbed my neck and giggled a little. "A fucking brilliant one to boot."

"So... you're not angry?" I laughed some at her cute naivety.

"Of course not. Jake and I were taking bets to see how long it would take you to came clean. The EFH had tried that little thing before, using Emma. When they figured out Emma wasn't under their indirect control anymore, they had to try something different. Hall knew that Jake would eat up the possibility of another naturally-created Witch Revenant and would welcome you with open arms. So that's why. Emma told me they took a sample of her blood when they were captured by the EFH just after the Pulse. Jake and I both knew why, though we didn't tell Emma."

"Oh..." Sakura smiled, shaking her head in a mix of being impressed and in disbelief. "Oh-ho-ho, you are good! You are bloody good!" I smiled and put a hand on her pale shoulder.

"Sakura, my dear... I've got an IQ of 210. You can't fool me. Jake and I will always be a step ahead of anything anyone can cook up." She laughed at this, the relief visible on her face. "I mean... I'll be mad if you're still planning on killing us, what after that divine back massage you gave me."

"I can't. I mean... the ideals of the EFH were... alright when Saline was in command... but John Hall? He's a zealot. He doesn't see Revenants any different from the mindless ones... He offered me sanctuary in return... but I'd rather die fighting for those who can't fight for themselves, then live like a coward." I gave her a hug and smiled.

"Spoken like a true hero." The door opened, Jake's voice proceeding his face.

"Hey, Trinny, I got the-" He stopped, looking at his sister, naked, hugging another woman. He paused for a moment before closing the door and walking away. On the other side I could hear him conversing with another. " 'Just pick the lock' you said. 'They won't mind you barging in' you said. Last time I listen to you, Nick." He shouted through the door. "Lemme know when you put some pants and a shirt on, Trinny, we need to talk."

"By the way..." I spoke to Sakura, finishing out little chat. "I won our bet. He gave you a month, I gave you a week." She giggled as I redressed.

-A Few Moments Later-

The door before me opened to my sister, dressed again in her lab coat and black undershirt. She motioned me in as Nick removed himself from the premise.

"Did you get a good look?" She asked, more sarcastically then anything. I scrunched my face up and shrugged.

"Nothin' I haven't seen before."

"Man, if that was Emma, or Zoey in there, you'd be drooling. Why not with me? Am I not sexy enough for you?"

"Pbth." I responded, practically forcing my way into the room, where Sakura was packing up a back. I sniffed the air and smiled. "Oooh, Lavender and eucalyptus. Nice." Shaking that thought away, I continued my train of thought. "It's not that, Trinny, it's that your my sister. Despite the whole Predestined Lovers thing, you're still my sister, and I can't look too bad." Sakura gave me that look of confusion as I spoke. "Oh... uh, little theory I proposed back in Aperture. Long story short, when two people are destined to love one another, and their lives end in tragedy, they're reborn closer to one another. Example, Antony and Cleopatra may have been reborn as Romeo and Juliette, closer, but still apart. I theorize it's possible, far enough down the line, for them to be blood relations."

"And you think about this about you and your sister? I don't mean to judge, doctor, but that's... disgusting." She gave that look of absolute disgust when she spoke, solidifying her position. I smiled and nodded.

"Yep! That's about the same reaction the Aperture guys had, too. Apparently burning someone's house down with lemons is alright, but god forbid if you think you're destined from birth to be in love with your sister. Aperture, ya now? Silly people."

"Now, Jake, what's this you wanted to show me?" I put a finger in the air, having completely forgot why I was here, pulling a small glass phial from my pocket. "Water?" She asked, seeing the clear liquid contents.

"Not water, dear sister. This, is the Mark II F.E.V. Utilizing some of the samples from other Revenants and Geists, I managed to isolate what Micheal did to it, and I also isolated the whole 'immortality' thing. So, whoever takes this will gain a Revenants immortality, as well as slight heightened senses, speed, smell, feel, sight, the whole nine yards, but they will be, for all intense and purposes, human."

"You're playing God, Jake. Again. Remember what happened last time you played God?"

"Yea, yea, yea, I destroyed the world, stop reminding me." I took a breath and continued. "But I learned my lesson last time. This, Trinny... is the only sample. Now, for now, and ever. One. And only one. I will not duplicate it, I will not spread it, I have even deleted the formula for it, so it can never be synthasized again." Trinsha nodded and smiled.

"It seems you have learned your lesson Jake. So that just leaves the question on everyone's lips."

"Who gets it?" Sakura spoke, looking at the clear liquid. I grinned and placed the phial to my eye to look in.

"I have one in mind." Sprinting to a computer and sitting in the chair, I brough up a video camera feed program. Cracking my knuckles, I typed while I spoke. "Video Camera of Omens! Give me sight beyond sight!" Trinsha groaned at my reference. Staring at the screen, which was projecting an image from Zoey and Emma's room, I grinned and nodded a reserved nod at the sight I beheld. "That is the second time I've indirectly walked in on naked people in ten minutes." He paused for a moment. "Ooh! I should go speak to Saline! I'm on a roll!"

"No, no you don't." Trinsha responded, pulling me out of the chair, holding my collar.

"D'aaawwww..." I groaned playfully. "Meanie."

-At That Time-

Zoey and I lay in bed, sweaty and satisfied from our rest. My powerful arms sheltered her from the harsh reality of the world we lived in, while the heavy down sheets protected us both from the cold of the room. Beneath the sheets, we were both naked, having discarded our clothing about two hours ago, the heavy sheets gifting a cooling reminder on our bare skin.

"My god, you're terrific..." Zoey muttered, her head still probably abuzz with what just happened. "... with only your knuckle, too!" She laughed, remembering something that brought her great joy.

"You deserved it... we never get any alone time, so... I thought I would give you something to remember for a while. We may not get much more, what with the war and all." Zoey sighed and nodded.

"Yea... fuckin'... Jake and his over-reacting self."

"They killed civilians, Zoey. That's a bit of a... no-no don't you think?" She nodded a little, thinking.

"Well... yea! But still!" The girl sighed. "I'm sorry... I guess I'm naïve after all..."

"No need to be sorry. I think it's cute." I smiled, ruffling her hair with my free hand. She giggled, pushing my hand away.

"I'm not a kid anymore..." The PA System squelched as Jake's voice came over.

"This thing on? I can't tell.."

"Swear to god, Ballenfield! You call us!" Zoey shouted, even though she knew she couldn't be heard.

"Oh, it is, sweet!" He cleared his throat. "Zoey Mitchell, please report to my lab, aka the castle, for some important... science-y stuff. Again, Zoey Mitchell, to my lab... for important science-y stuff."

"Mother. Fucker." She groaned. I smiled and offered a course laugh.

"At least he waited until AFTER we had sex." This offered her little consolation as she threw the sheets off her.

"I'm gonna strangle that little kid! I'm... I'm gonna do it! I'm gonna fuckin' strangle him!"

"Breathe, Zoey! In with the good air, out with the bad. Don't let your anger consume you. Anger leads to fear, fear leads to hate, and hate leads to the Dark Side." I was pretty much just quoting random movies at this point but hey! If it worked for Yoda, right?

"I'm not gonna kill him. Just strangle him until he almost dies! Then I'll let him get some air back, then I'll STRANGLE HIM AGAIN!" She was boarder line hysterical at this point, dressing in her jeans and white t-shirt again, leaving the jacket behind. I laughed at the situation, knowing full well Zoey probably will strangle him. Mumbling to herself, she walked out the door in a huff.

-A Few Minutes Later-

Trinsha and Sakura had cleared out of the room at this point, shortly after Trinsha telling me that Sakura came clean, and I owed her an expensive dinner because I lost the bet. After reluctantly agreeing, I ran a few scenarios through my head, trying to figure out what sounded best, and what I'd say to Zoey when she got here. She arrived in a huff, of course, because I had interrupted something important.

"Ah, hello Zoey."

"This better be fucking good." She growled as she sat down, crossing her arms violently.

"Listen, terribly sorry to interrupt your little love-making with Emma, but something rather important has come up."

"Wait... how did you know what we were doing?" Her anger only grew.

"Oh. Cameras." I answered nonchalantly.

"WHAT!"

"It's Disney, Zoey. There's cameras freakin' everywhere here. Don't worry, just turned it on a few minutes ago, didn't see anything. Any-dang-way! On to why I called you here." She cuddled herself, trying to feel less violated. "I have a very important question to ask you, Zoey, and I want you to think about the answer very carefully." I paused as she nodded, getting over the introduction to our conversation.

"... 'Kay..." She answered slowly.

"Have you ever thought about... immortality?" I asked simply, the loopy, fun doctor giving away to one of serious nature. She thought for a moment before shaking her head.

"No, why?" I produced the sample from my pocket and hid it in my crossed arms.

"Because, Zoey, I have the means to give it to you. Think about it. Living forever with the one you love, seeing times change together as new science and new technologies replace the old and broken. You'd be an angel given human form... a Living Goddess."

"This sounds like a sales pitch, Jake... what is it you're asking me?"

"I've perfected it, Zoey. The F.E.V. I can give you immortality at the drop of a single word. You and Emma can live forever in your own fantasy dream land. Buy a house, get some land, build a little white fence together and live your dream lives."

"Immortal? F.E.V.? You say immortal, but what you really mean is Monster. You want to turn me into one of you, don't you? A visage of fear and loathing." This was a rather sudden change. She was usually pretty good-natured. Why did she suddenly turn so...

"So violent?" I voiced the last words and continued. "Why? You're in love with one of these so-called 'monsters', and yet..."

"I love Emma, yes... but she's no monster. She's the creation of a monster." Oh... oh, okay I see where this is going. It's suddenly 'Hate on the Doctor' day. "You turned her into one of those things, and you're not satisfied with her misery. You want mine, don't you? You want to make us both into monsters." I smiled, trying to suppress the growing sense of rage in me.

"Zoey... don't go down this path. You won't like the outcome. Just... say yes. Let me give you your happiest days."

"No." She answered firmly, staring me in the eyes. I chuckled and cleaned me ear.

"I'm... sorry had something in my ear. Didn't catch that, what did you say?"

"I said 'No', Jake. N. O. Should I add the 'fuck' prefix to that? Fuck no? Or should I add a suffix? 'No, you crazy bastard.' How's that?" This conversation was not going well. Zoey's sudden about-face as far as attitude was concerned well... I found it rather infuriating.

"I don't understand. You'd rather die then live with Emma forever?"

"Humans aren't meant to live forever, Jake. We're born into this world, we live our short lives, and we eventually die. It's natural. What you're trying to do... what you've done to so many... it's unnatural."

"That's EFH rhetoric. Don't tell me they've poisoned you with that shit."

"Not EFH rhetoric. Not Revenant propaganda. The truth. You've turned them all into unnatural monstrosities. And now you're trying to do the same to me." I couldn't hide my rising anger anymore. My smile vanished.

"Zoey. Don't. Don't go down this path, you won't like the outcome." She stood up to face me, coming up to about my height, her eyes alight with unholy rage.

"What! What 'outcome', Jake? Are you going to force me? Like you did to Emma? Make me drink that! You're an asshole, Jake! You always have been, and you always will be! I'll eventually die, yes, but I'll die happy! I'll be strong for Emma to the bitter-"

"STRONG?" I bellowed, Zoey physically recoiling from the outburst. "Strong, Zoey! You!" I cackled a maniacle laugh, one which caused her to shiver. "You're not 'strong', Zoey! You're HUMAN! Weak! Pathetic! Malleable and moldable!" She took a step back. "You'll never BE strong, Zoey! None of you will! If it wasn't for me, for the REVENANTS! You mangy little sad sacks of flesh would be DEAD! ALL OF YOU! YOU! NICK! EVERYONE WOULD BE DEAD OR DYING!" My voice began to turn horse from the yelling. Calming some, I took a step back and caught my breath. "Without the Revenants and myself, you'd all have either succumbed to the Infection... or been wiped clean by the EFH. We're the strength in this army, Zoey. The Revenants. We're fighting for our survival... you? You're just along for the ride. We could ditch you at the roadside and still pull it off. Don't think we need you. It's just convenient to have a meatshield to hide behind." In my anger, I had lost track of what I wanted to say, the entire conversation spiraling out into a torrent of pent up aggression, frustration and anger.

"Meatshield?" Anger grew in her now. "Is that all we are to you? Cannon fodder? You'd just throw us all out in front of the EFH, and ring the dinner bell! You sick mother fucker. You god damn monster! You need us more then we need you-" I snapped again, lashing out and snatching her by the neck, lifting her effortlessly off the ground.

"I DON'T NEED YOU!" I bellowed as she fought my powerful grip. "NO ONE NEEDS YOU, YOU PATHETIC, SELFISH BITCH! YOU TAKE! TAKE! TAKE! AND DON'T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT WHO YOU TAKE FROM! YOU'D SOONER TURN US ALL IN TO THOSE EFH FUCKERS THEN GIVE US A GOD DAMN CHANCE!" My grip tightened around her neck as I thought how easily it would be to break her spine like a flimsy toothpick. "LET ME TEACH YOU A LESSON, ZOEY! FUCKING DARWIN! SURVIVAL OF THE GOD DAMNED FITTEST!" Raising her higher, I mellowed out. "And you can't hold a fucking candle to me. You're nothing. Hear me? Nothing. That's all you humans are. Sad. Defenseless. Sacks. Of meat." Her face was turning blue now, air a very much needed resource in her body. I contemplated ending her existence a few more seconds, before breaking the wooden table in the room with her back, not damaging her too badly, but keeping her grounded. Inhaling, I turned to the door. "Don't come crying to me when you die in the coming battle, Zoey." I growled, looking in her direction over my shoulder. "Because I won't shed one god damn tear for your useless hide. I'm not like Emma. I AM a monster." Opening the door, I exited and slammed it shut, pausing outside to catch my breath. Before I began my trip to wherever I was going to cool me head, I heard a soft sob from the room I left.

Ending Author's Note: Little pent-up rage issues between Jake and Zoey. Zoey's had problems with Revenants for a while, we just never saw them. Look at it from her point of view, and she's right. Look at it from Jake's point of view and HE's right.