A/N: What's this? 2 chapters in 2 days?! Yep, that's right! As a thank you for being such awesome fans, I did everything I could to crank out this baby real fast like! Things are finally starting to reach the climax, and I'm getting really excited about it! I hope you guys are looking forward to it as much as I do, and if you love the story so far, go ahead and follow it! Oh, and reviews motivate me, so I'd love to get more of them!
The soldiers took us to a fleet of battleships standing by on the Hudson River, somewhere between Liberty Island and Governors Island. I stood on the bow of
the commanding ship, called the Nimitz, a Navy ship. I leaned against the rail of the ship, Daniel and Maeda on either side of me as we waited for the
Commanding Officer of this operation to come speak with us. Daniel wasn't shy about voicing his distaste of the man's tardiness, especially when he had us
brought here, but I didn't entirely mind. I know we don't have a lot of time, but I needed to sort things out in my head the best that I could, especially with all
of this new stuff that I learned.
On the way here, I explained to Daniel and Maeda about how I was involved in an accident that not only cost my entire family, but my memory of my earlier
life as well. Even now, although I believed that I remembered everything, I'm still not sure how to explain it. Somehow, the memories I have seem to come
from an outside source, like as if I saw it in a movie instead of in person. It's weird to describe, but that's not really what I was so focused on now. When
I finished, Maeda told me about his theory about Eve, and although I didn't want to admit it, I knew it was true. The fact that Melissa received her new
kidney from Maya after she died, and how her abuse of the immunosuppressant drugs may have weakened her enough for Eve to take over. He also said there
was a note in the medical records about how the surgeons described the kidney as feeling very hot when they handled it, immediately forcing my mind to recall
the night of the first day, when my body became hot in response to Eve. The transplant, the hot kidney, the drugs' effects, it all pointed to one thing: Eve
wasn't originally born from Melissa, but from Maya. Maya… was Eve's original host.
I instinctively moved my hand over my right eye, biting my lower lip lightly. Maeda also told me about how there was one more transplant from Maya; my right
eye. Well, not exactly my right eye, but the cornea. I still couldn't remember it, but apparently my right eye was blind at birth, so I received my sister's which
gave me sight in both eyes. If that's really true, it explains how my power came to be and why it reacted to Eve so strongly. It also makes sense the things
that Eve told me, about how we were the same. I guessed she must've meant it to be literally, since we both shared the same power. Still, there were two
glaring questions in my mind that I couldn't make sense of. The first one was something that I said without even realizing it. Specifically, how I addressed Eve
as "sister" when I met her at the museum. The word just slipped out without my meaning to. Did my body somehow know the connection between Eve and
Maya without me consciously knowing about it? And secondly, the fact that when I called her "sister", her eyes were a deep crimson instead of their usual
emerald-green. Did the two have a connection? Somehow, Eve didn't feel the same as she always did in that room. Almost as if she was a
different person. Maya mentioned that I should "beware the Purebred", but what does that mean? She also said to "believe in my power". Does she actually
mean that I should trust in her? Her power is what protected me up to this point, but why would she tell me to believe in it? I don't think I haven't really NOT
believed in it so far.
Thinking so hard on these questions with no clear answers felt like it would melt my brain, so I was glad when we were approached by an older gentleman
wearing a uniform with several medals pinned to his chest. "It's about time you showed up! What's the big idea, making us wait?!" Daniel exclaimed angrily. I
placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him, the officer merely saluting us. "I sincerely apologize for making you wait. There was urgent business I needed to
attend to. I am Admiral Williams in command of this ship, the Nimitz. And you must be Miss Aya Brea." he said, his eyes on me. I stepped forward, saluting him
as well. "Yes, that's right. So, what was it you wanted to speak to me about, Admiral?" I asked him. Williams placed his hands behind his back as he regarded
me. "I'll just get right to the point. I need your help. Or rather, I need your power. I heard everything from your Chief and I'm not so old or hard lined to not
believe it. I understand that you're immune to whatever it is that causes humans to spontaneously combust."
"Yes, that's right" I replied while nodding my head. "What would you have me do?" Daniel growled before Williams could speak, standing between me and the
Admiral. "Hold up! You're not planning on putting her in danger, are you?!"
"On the contrary, that's exactly what I intend."
"You bastard…!" I stepped between them before Daniel wound up doing something stupid, though the Admiral seemed unfazed. I suppose being in the armed
forces for so long could do that to you. "Hold up, Daniel! I want to hear what he has planned!" Williams looked at me for a moment, his face as still as stone. I
couldn't really tell what he was thinking, but I could tell that this whole ordeal bothered him like it would anyone else. That was enough for me. Besides, any
help I could get against Eve was more than I could ask for.
"As I'm sure you're aware, we've attempted numerous assaults against this monster that calls itself 'Eve'. As much as it pains me to say it, we've failed each
time, and the addition of this 'slime monster' isn't making things any easier. I've lost many good men these last few days." he started, walking past us toward
the guard rail, looking out over the water into the silent, dark city. I could tell that that last part was especially hard for him to say, so I couldn't help but
empathize with him. "However, it wasn't for nothing. We think we know of a way to get into that thing and go straight for the core inside, or specifically, Eve."
he turned toward me, his hands still behind his back. "The slime monster appears to use a type of force field for protection, rendering conventional weapons
almost useless; however, it's not invincible. We noticed that after sustaining enough damage, we've been able to tear it open briefly, as well as blowing a hole
into it physically, exposing its insides, where Eve is."
I lowered my eyes slightly at this. I understood what he was trying to tell me, but I didn't interrupt him. "Aya, you're the only one who can get close to her
without being set ablaze. My plan is simple, but dangerous. We'll blow a hole into that things core; straight to Eve. When we do that, you go in and destroy it
from the inside." "Whoa now! Wait a second! Are you crazy?!" Daniel shouted out at this, his fists clenched and shaking. "You want Aya to just jump right into
the belly of that thing without knowing what can happen?! And we're supposed to just go along with it?!" I extended my arm out in front of Daniel, shutting
him up as he looked at me. "Aya, there's no way-"
"It's ok, Daniel. It's the best plan we have." I interrupted, lowering my arm as I looked back at the Admiral. "Ok. Let's do it." The Admiral smiled lightly, nodding
his head. "Thank you, Aya Brea. And I'm sorry." he said while saluting, before walking off. "My men will come fetch you when we're ready. Don't stray too far."
We watched him walk off, Daniel turning away towards the city, clearly angry. I looked over at his back, sighing out to myself. "I know you're worried, Daniel.
But there's nothing else. We need to stop Eve."
"I know dammit… I know…"
Maeda looked back and forth between the two of us, clearly trying to think of something that he could say, but I just looked away from him.
It took longer than I would have liked, but after about half an hour, I was finally up in the air in another helicopter with a whole fleet of jets and other copters
as we made our way towards Lower Manhattan, where the slime was traveling. As expected, it was still moving towards the Hudson, but we still never really
knew why. Maeda suggested that it might be heading towards the Statue of Liberty. He said it could be trying to find an easy place to protect as a kind of
natural instinct, similar to how birds make nests high up in trees to protect its eggs from potential predators, and the fact that it's surrounded by water limits
our approaches, so it makes sense. But I think it could also mean one more thing: Eve was always about proving the Mitochondrion's superiority to humans,
and what better place in New York to prove this than to birth the Ultimate Being atop the Statue of Liberty?
I stood by the open door of the helicopter as we made our way towards the city, the slime monster clearly in view. We hovered up high in the air, just out of
the monster's range. The plan was for the other helicopters and jets to unload everything they had on the monster, forcing it to expose its core. They
estimated that it only remains open for about ten seconds, so I couldn't afford to waste any time once Eve is exposed. As soon as there's an opening, I would
jump into where Eve was and… well I would have to figure it out from there.
When we were finally within range, the monster was already at the docks, stepping into the river, making its way towards Liberty Island, just like Maeda
thought. I looked back at the fleet of battle ships close to Governors Island where he and Daniel waited for me on the Nimitz, and I instinctively placed my hand
in my shirt, pulling out the good luck charm that Maeda gave me the night I died. Who knows? Maybe I have this to thank for my return? I giggled at the idea,
which surprised me. It felt like I haven't laughed in such a long time. Clutching the charm in my fist, I placed it back into my blouse, promising myself that I
would come back to my friends, no matter what.
"Miss Brea, we're about to attack that monster! Please be ready for once the core is exposed! Just leave it to us!" the pilot told me, giving me a thumbs up. I
nodded and smiled at him, giving him my own thumbs up as I watched the soldiers fight. Once they were close enough, the helicopters began firing missiles
and shooting their machine guns at the monster all at once, the night sky aglow with flashes of explosions and gun fire. The monster seemed to scream out,
but the force field simply blocked everything that came at it, its course undeterred as it traveled across the river towards Liberty Island. We expected this
much, however, so no one let up. The copters hovered high in the air, letting loose missiles and bullets as the jets kept flying to and fro the battle field,
unloading their own bullets and dropping bombs and missiles. It wasn't just them though. Once the monster was close enough, all the battle ships joined
the fray, letting loose all of their cannons as more explosions filled the sky, the area dyed red and orange as the monster advanced ever onward.
However, the monster wasn't going to take this lying down any further. As it kept taking the abuse of the entire fleet, its whole body appeared to pulsate with
electricity, and I could only standby and watch in horror as tendrils of lighting shot out in different directions, shooting down jets and helicopters from the sky,
fiery wreckages falling into the river with giant splashes and explosions. I wanted nothing more right now than to rip Eve out of that stupid shell of hers and
tear out her neck, but I knew that I had to wait. All I could do was hope that they could force her out into the open as quickly as possible, though this didn't
stop me from biting my lip so hard that I bled.
The monster managed to fight its way on Liberty Island, blowing some battleships out of the water, and made its way up the Statue of Liberty, before perching
itself atop her crown. This just irritated me to no end, knowing that Eve was just mocking us. It killed me knowing that I couldn't do anything but wait as we
hovered high above her, watching as jets and helicopters were blown out of the sky as they continued their relentless attack. Come on! Break open already!
Then, just when I felt like I was at my limit, the monster gave out a satisfying shriek as the force field collapsed and a giant hole was blown in its side. It was
then that I saw her, Eve. Right in the center of the slime, she appeared to be covered by a thick membrane, her eyes closed as if she were sleeping. That bitch!
The pilot screamed at me to go now, as if I had to wait for him. Focusing all of my power into my feet, I jumped out of the helicopter with such incredible force it
actually rocked right mechanical bird. I only had about nine more seconds now before the thing repairs itself, so I have to make it count. However, as I fell, the
helicopter that hovered above me, the one I just jumped from, exploded. It was Eve. Even from as high up as I was, I could see her. Her eyes were open now
and she was glaring at me. She tried to destroy the helicopter while I was still on it. She was threatened by me. But instead of feeling flattered, it only angered
me.
As I fell, more and more death occurred all around me. The helicopters and jets that had besieged her, all the soldiers that gave me their support from the air,
were all destroyed along with their vehicles, heaps of burning metal falling from the sky all around me. I felt like with each death that was for my sake, my body
felt heavier. They all died to give me this chance, so there was no way I was going to screw it up! I can't!
Eve glared up at me angrily as I fell towards her, the slime monster's body pulsing with electricity. She was going to attack. How long do I have now? Five
seconds? No time to dodge, so I'll just have to charge through! I held up both of my hands in front of me as Eve shot out a thick tendril of lighting right towards
me. I became engulfed in its fury, but I created a barrier around myself, somehow managing to escape harm. I could see the frustration in her eyes when she
saw that I escaped unscathed, but it just served to make me angrier. She's frustrated?!
I was about a hundred meters above her, the hole and barrier was recovering fast. If I don't do something, I'll miss my chance! "Damn it, Aya! Why can't you
understand what I'm trying to do?! You're not like those weak humans! Why do you stubbornly side with them?!" Eve screamed out angrily. "SHUT UP! I'm sick
and tired of hearing you! I don't want to hear it anymore!" I shouted back, turning my body around with my arms up, pointing them straight out. With a loud
shout, I shot out a large beam of energy into the sky, accelerating my descent. With a shout, I spun myself back around to face Eve as I closed the one
hundred meter gap in four seconds, the barrier and slime monster reforming with me inside.
It felt absolutely disgusting in here with my whole body covered in slime, but I couldn't care less at this point. I stood over Eve in her little slime womb, or
whatever the hell it was, one foot pushing into her large belly and one hand on her neck. Growling, Eve grabbed onto me with all four of her arms, one hand
grabbing my arm, one grabbing my leg, and two wrapping their fingers around my neck in kind, desperately trying to squeeze the life out of me. "Damn you,
Aya! You're making a mistake! It's your destiny to rule this world with me! Why can't you see that?! There's still time! Don't do this!" Eve pleaded, clear
desperation in her eyes.
Growling in my throat, I reached over with my free hand and clasped onto her stupid face, her eyes leering at me through the spaces in my fingers. "I said to
shut up! I've had enough of you! You're not getting away from me this time! I'm ending this NOW!" I shouted out with all my strength as I focused all of my
power. Everything. I'll focus everything in this one shot!
Green specks of light exploded in my sight as it clashed against Eve's red lights of power. The small womb that surrounded us glowed brighter and brighter in
my eyes as my power became focused in my hand. Eve released my arm and leg, bringing all of her hands around my neck in a desperate bid to
either choke me or break me, but I stood firm. All of my power. Everything that I can muster. I'll use all of it. All of it! My hand started to feel incredibly hot that I
almost couldn't bear it, as if I had stuck it into hot, molten lava. My fingers bore into Eve's face until she started to bleed, like I wanted to rip her face off. "DAMN
IT, AYA! I'LL KILL YOU! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?! I'LL RIP OUT YOUR BEATING HEART WITH MY OWN HANDS!" she shouted angrily as my hand glowed brighter and
brighter in her face, blinding me.
Shouting out with all of my might, I released my energy attack, Eve and I becoming engulfed in its violent and deadly embraced.
