Never Underestimate Destiny

Part 8

(Tuesday, October 24)

The door of the warehouse was open and Liz and Kyle went inside. Liz glanced quickly around but didn't see anyone and called out, "Hello, Zan, Ava?"

Ava's pink head popped out of a doorway upstairs and she grinned when she saw them. "Yo," she said, starting down the stairs. "How's it going?"

Liz smiled back. She'd liked Ava instantly when they'd met. Unlike Tess, Ava didn't try to intimidate or act superior, and Liz felt they could be good friends.

"I'm fine," she said, answering Ava's question, "no accidents with my powers or anything."

Ava stopped before them and Liz saw her gaze shift to Kyle. "I guess you two already met."

"Yeah," Ava said grinning at Kyle. "You were shopping for underwear."

Liz couldn't believe her eyes, but Kyle actually blushed.

"No," he said quickly, "it was t – shirts. It's you and Tess that are obsessed with my underwear."

Ava nudged his arm, smiling wider. "You wish."

Kyle spluttered, looking for something to say and Liz grinned too.

A noise from above made Liz look up just in time to see Zan emerging, obviously fresh out of the shower. He was bare – chested but wearing black jeans and boots, and as he started toward the stairs he pulled a gray t – shirt over his head.

Liz felt her mouth go dry when she saw the muscles in his chest bulging and straining as he settled the shirt in place. She swallowed hard. She had a weakness for great chests, and like Max's, Zan's was incredible.

His hand rose to his wet hair, and with one motion he smoothed through the dark mass, drying it and shaping it into the spikes he always wore.

"Wow," Liz exclaimed a bit breathlessly, "that would sure come in handy on bad hair days."

Zan smiled, glad she was watching him. "You'll be able to do it, no problem. We've just got to work on your control a little first."

Liz nodded. "You mean I've got to be able to produce any power first."

He shrugged. "It might take a little time, but you'll do it."

Looking away from her, he met Kyle's eyes. "I'm Zan," he said with a dip of his head.

Kyle nodded back. "I'm another one of Max Evans' human experiments."

Both Zan and Ava laughed and Liz rolled her eyes. "Kyle," she groaned.

"Well," Ava said, turning to Liz, "I'm sure Max couldn't help himself." She motioned to Kyle. "He's such a unique specimen, I'm tempted to probe his brain to see how it works."

"Hey," Kyle started to complain.

Zan clapped a hand on Kyle's back. "Let's go over here," he said, motioning to the other side of the room. "We'll let the girls talk, and you can tell me what Max did to you."

Kyle glared at the giggling girls as he walked away with Zan, and they laughed harder.

Ava smiled. She liked bantering with him. She hadn't had so much fun in a while.

The conversation she'd had with Zan the day before came back to her. True, she wasn't in love with Kyle, but she did feel something for him. She hadn't been interested in a guy in a long time and it might be fun to get to know him better.

Impulsively she turned to Liz. "Do you know if Kyle's seeing anyone?" She said in a low voice.

Liz was completely surprised by her question. "But..." She trailed off. Quickly her eyes flicked across the room to where the guys were standing and then back to Ava. "Aren't you and Zan together?"