The New York Crew Ch. 07

The present members of H.E.A.T. were shown to a private dining area.

The blonde nods in approval. "Been a while since I was treated like this," she says as they all take their seats. "Why don't you take me to eat at places like this, Nick?"

"Cause we can't afford it, Audrey," the brown haired man tells her. "In fact," he turns to the dark-haired man. "How can you afford this, Randy?"

"Simple, jefe," Randy leans back. "Remember that little start up project? It finally kicked off." At that announcement, everyone congratulated him. "That's why I invited you all here. To celebrate my first step to easy street."

Mendel huffs, "More like you want to show off your fortune." Elsie lightly smacks him for that.

"That, I cannot deny," Randy grins. Just then the door opens and a couple of waiters pulling carts walk in. "I took the liberty of ordering ahead."

Various foods were set among the table. Nothing too extravagant. Stakes, salad, breadsticks. What stood out to everyone the most was a plate of.

"Pickles and custard, Randy?" Nick questions before turning to his old assistant. "What kind of joke is—" he is cut off at the sound of crunching. Everyone turns to the blonde, who has a pickle with a bite taken out of it.

Just as Audrey dips the pickle into the custard, she looks up to see everyone staring at her. "What?" nobody said anything to her as she continued eating. "Anyway. If this is such a big deal, why isn't Monique here?"

The programmer leans forward, rubbing the back of his neck. "This whole new world thing kinda hit all of us hard. Yeah, I managed to get us all a new start thanks to that Chau guy. But there was only so much we could do. I mean, Mendel is stuck in tech support at some shopping center, the closest thing Elsie can get to dinosaurs these days is in a museum as a tour guide, Nick is stuck looking at worms all day again, and Audrey may never be in front of a camera! The only one who's happy where we're at now is Animal and his wife." Randy sighs as everyone looks down at the situation. "The best I could do for Monique was to set her up for police work. She just wasn't happy with that. I guess it was too lax for her."

Elsie shrugs. "Compared to when we were H.E.A.T. and occasionally working with G-Force, anything we do here is just too boring for any of us." Everyone agrees with the paleontologist.

"Yeah," Randy nods. "Anyways. A couple days ago, her old boss from the insurance company," he places air quotes up, "called and asked if she wants her old job back and she didn't even hesitate."

"Nice knowing Phillipe is doing well," Nick leans back, arms crossed. "I also heard that Hicks managed to get in with those K.A.N.E. guys. I guess not all of us have it bad."

Randy then claps his hands. "Okay! Enough of this pity party. I called you all up for a celebration," he pulls out a bottle of wine. "I even got this."

"That looks expensive, Randy," Elsie notes.

"Oh, it was," he starts pouring everyone a glass. "I wanted to treat everyone today. Or as Craven would say, I'm really showing off."

At that, Mendel crosses his arms.

When Randy gets to Audrey, the former reporter holds up a hand. "I'm not really in the mood for wine."

"C'mon. Would one sip really hurt?"

"I… guess not," she hesitantly holds up her glass.

"Good!" he returns to his seat and raises his glass. "I would like to propose a toast. That from here on out, all our lives would turn out for the better."

Everyone raises their glasses to Randy's toast. However, before anyone could take a drink, the door to the private room burst open. Standing there, glaring at Randy is a woman with short black hair wearing a purple dress.

Everyone stares at her, and Nick says, "Monique?"

The woman did not show any sign that she registered the worm guy as the former spy just charges at Randy. In response the hacker jumps over her and kicks her away before making his way to the door only to run into himself.

"Hey, handsome," the other Randy smirks and makes a grab for him. The first Randy grapples the new one and tosses him at a recovering Monique.

The first Randy smirks as he turns back to the door only to come face first with a fist that sent him onto the table. His body then morphs into a silver blue color and in his place is a woman in a blue jacket and a grey shirt. The woman has pale skin with long blue hair and yellow eyes. What shocks everyone the most is that her face looks exactly like Elsie's. Everyone turns to the red-haired Elsie then back to the double that Monique is currently handcuffing.

Mendel snaps. "What's going on here!? And is that the Mimic?"

"This one," Monique then shoves the not Elsie into a chair "Has been playing us."

The Mimic huffs. "Not that it was hard. I've been at it for months until techno geek there wizened up and told his girlfriend about it. Had to stash them away until I was finished here."

Nick crosses his arms, "And exactly what where you going to do here?"

She does not answer, but glances at Randy who has picked up a glass of wine. Just when he was about to drink it, Monique stops him and takes the glass away. The French woman then holds it up to the Not Elsie. Only for her to flinch away.

"I thought you looked a little parched," Monique glares. "It's poisoned."

"You probably would have gotten away with it too, Miss Copycat," Randy tells her before turning back to the doorway. "Were it not for a meddling old friend."

Everyone turns to the stranger in the Yankee cap. Elsie then asks, "You mean our cabby?"

Nick steps up to the man and squints at him. "Is it really you?"

The man removes his hat and classes to better show the patches of silver scales on his face and his orange eyes. "Hey, Dad," Zilla waves.

"I-I don't know what to say," Nick places a hand on his shoulder. "I've heard rumors, but I couldn't find you."

"Well, I had a friend look for you as well. But she had a hard time since none of you existed here in the first place," the iguana then chuckles. "Never knew that you guys were just a cab drive away."

"What's with that anyway?" Elsie asks.

Zilla shrugs, "Have to keep myself busy somehow. Besides, I get to meet all the interesting people in my city," he then glances over at Audrey. "So, I heard that you two finally got married. Bout time," he looks back at Nick. "You've been carrying that ring around for how long? I was getting tired of you ranting about how you were going to ask, or whether or not you should, or if it was the right time."

Audrey looks over at her husband. "Wait! You went over this with a lizard before asking me?"

"Well, he was a good listener," Nick defends himself before turning to his adopted son. "Or at least I thought he was."

"It's easy to talk to someone who can't necessarily talk back," Zilla crosses his arms. Then he turns to the reporter. "By the way. Do I start calling you Mom now?"

The blonde's eyes widened at that. "Oh, god no! I mean when I said yes I knew that you would be part of the deal. But I'm just not ready to be a mother just yet."

Not Elsie scoffs. "Kinda late on that front. At least this one," she points her cuffed hands at Zilla. "Is already able to take care of himself and look on the bright side. He won't ruin your figure like the next one." At that, Audrey freezes and everyone stares at Mimic. "Seriously!?" she raises a brow and looks back at the reporter. "You haven't told them yet. Not even your man?" her form shifts to that of Audrey. "Especially after poor sweet Audrey poured her heart out to the near emotionless spy," then she is Monique "only because she can keep a secret."

"That," Audrey points at the duplicate. "That was you, wasn't it?"

The Mimic returns back to the off-color form of Elsie. "Of course it was me! I told you I've been at it for months. And let me tell you. Dealing with your drama makes me wish I was still stuck in that canister!" she turns into Randy. "How loser here has finally grew a spine and bought a ring…" then Monique is in her place. "so, he can ask his precious foreign lady friend to marry him." Suddenly Mendel is before them. "And don't get me started how the nerd wants…" finally turns to normal Elsie "…this ugly face to move in with him," finally she takes back the off-color form of the paleontologist.

Both Elsie and Mendel shout "Hey!" at her.

Elsie steps up to the Mimic, "If you don't like the way I look so much, then just choose someone else's face."

"You think I have a choice!?" the not Elsie snaps. "After what you guys did to me, it destabilized my genetic material to the point that I can't hold any form for very long." she shifts through the appearance of all the members of H.E.A.T. before changing back to Not Elsie, "Except this! And I despise you all for forcing me to into this hideous form!"

Mendel snaps. "You're not hideous!" he then backtracks. "I mean, Elsie's not hideous," he turns to the real Elsie. "You're not hideous, Elsie."

The redhead gives him a peck on the cheek. "I know, Mendel," she then turns to the Mimic. "So, what do we do about my Evil Twin here?"

Monique answers, "I will have to call my captain up and see if he can order a transport."

"I can do one better," Zilla announces as he takes his phone out. "Hey, Gizmo. Are there any K.A.N.E. soldiers nearby?" he listens to the other end. "Yeah, okay. Tell Komi that I'm sorry but I might be a little late getting home. Thanks," he hangs up. "A transport should be on its way," he tells H.E.A.T.

Everyone stares at him. Nick asks, "You have connections to K.A.N.E.? How? I've been trying to contact them for months."

The iguana digs into his sweater pocket. "I'm a member of the Kaiju Fighters local branch," he reveals an ID badge for the organization.

The members of H.E.A.T. marveled at the badge. "Neat!" Randy snatches it. "You must see a lot of action."

"Not really," Zilla shrugs. "Kaiju activity has been pretty laxed. Aside from two incidents. Three counting this one. Though, I did hear a few stories from some of my passengers. Most of them only led to dead ends. You'd be surprised what people will talk about to a random cabby."

Monique holds her chin in thought as the Mimic tries to make a run for it, only to be shoved back into the seat. "Not only is it a way to get well needed information, it helps you keep an eye on the streets as no one thinks twice about a Taxi, but it also brings in extra spending money," the spy looks up at Zilla. "That's very tactical. I approve of your thinking, Zilla."

"Thanks."

Nick then starts thinking. "You know? Now that I think about it, we did keep ourselves busy with our research expeditions, but back in our world kaiju activity does seem to be concentrated around Japan."

"It's as if some unseen higher power decided that all the best action won't happen anywhere outside a certain place," Randy adds, getting everyone to think about how events happened back home.

The Mimic suddenly kicks under Monique's legs, knocking her to the floor. She then makes her third attempt to escape, jumping over Zilla and out the door. In the next moment, Not Elsie came back flying through the door and back in the seat she was sitting in. This time, she's out cold.

Then coming through the doorway is a woman with brown hair, and matching scales on her face in patches, wearing a light tan shirt and a brown hoodie. "Why were you going to be late?" her green eyes are glaring at Zilla.

"Um? Because of her," Zilla points at the woman in the chair. "I'm waiting for pickup,"

The former komodo looks at the knocked-out Mimic, then up at the other people in the room. "And who are the rest of these people?"

"Komi, these are my family," he gestures to the humans. "You remember most of them. Randy, Mendel, Elise, and Monique," the iguana then places a hand on Nick and Audrey's shoulders. "This of course is my dad and his wife."

Komi tilts her head to the side while looking at the reporter. "Do we start arguing now or later?"

Audrey raised a brow. "What!?"

"My shows always have it where the mother-in-law hates his kid's wife," the kaiju explains. "In fact, aren't the stepmothers supposed to be evil."

"Uh?"

Zilla puts an arm around his mate's shoulders. "Sorry about that. Aside from what our friends told us, the most experience she has with humans is from sitcoms and soaps. She wants to stop but I think she's addicted. Almost as much as she is to chocolate and strawberries."

"Oh!?" Komi's eyes widen. "That reminds me. I need to get back home before my show comes on. I really need to know if Maria picks Manolo or Juaquin," she steps up to Audrey and takes her hand. "Nice meeting you guys again. Can't wait to have you over sometime. Gotta go, bye!" and with that, she's out the door.

The former iguana sighs. "She really loves that show."

Randy then comments, "So do I," everyone turns to him, and he shrugs. "What!? It's a great story. I'm routing for Juaquin."