The War Without Fate

Chapter 3- Denied

"Was that Iron Man?" Phoenix screamed by my side

I stared up at the sky as he shot into the air. How had he found me? I had covered my tracks so well it was ridiculous. Not to mention tedious. I felt tears begin to sting my eyes. I blinked them back and looked back down at Phoenix, still searching the sky for Tony's return.

"Yeah I think that was," I mimicked his excitement

But I could feel that same feeling growing inside my gut. I didnt know what it was. I couldnt describe it, but it made me feel helpless. I reached sub-consciously toward my flask in my purse. My hand stopped. I looked down at my ice cream and Phoenix's wonder filled face. I smiled broadly at him and offered him my hand. He took it and turned his attention briefly to his ice cream and then back to the skys.

"What do you think he was here for?" He asked

Good question. I suppose he had finally found me. But why would he take off like that. I needed time alone. To think. To digest. Now that he had found me it had confirmed that he had been looking for me. Or at least this was the signal that something was coming for me. But that wasnt like him at all. He didnt give signals. He came barging in demanding answers to things. I suppose people could change alot in 5 years though. 

We walked down the street toward the car. We climbed in and ate our ice cream on the way. We reached the school and we got out of the car and headed towards our own. Luckily Phoenix had kept the conversation going so I could sit and brood. We waved to his gym teacher and climbed into the Veyron. Phoenix kept talking about Iron Man the whole way there. I dropped him off at the house and went off to my lab. It was my place of work and the only place I could actually think. 

I parked my car sloppily and went inside the building. Showing my id to people to get past the restrictions. I cleared everyone out of my lab and sat down in my chair across from my newest research. I had been researching something i had come across in an old scripture. Coincidentally besides the only human document of an agent of fate in existence. They had been from the same book so I thought it might be a valid idea to research.

It was the idea that the palm of your hand was like the fingerprint of your soul. That through each of your lives your soul kept the same hand print. And that it was the most definitive way to tell of someones past life. That palm readings depicted the road the soul traveled through in each life. Although some of the variable had varied the rest stayed the same. The same beginning and the same end. 

I had been trying to find scientific fact behind it along with more documentation on it but I had come across nothing. The idea had caught my attention when Phoenix had been born. I had wondered briefly if I had come across his soul at one time or another. There could only be so many floating around at once if this were true. 

The idea had also caught my attention because of the fact that Dior had died. Claude and Cordellia had warned me about her non-existence. Things would be out of balance now. They wouldnt say why she was so important but if she was that her soul would be coming around again. This time with terrible purpose. 

I had a picture of her palm up on the corner of my computer monitor. I had created a software that read for that same palm. It read through security cameras and other records. Such as the foot and hand prints of babys. I had developed it a month ago in my spare time and it was still running looking for a match. 

I hated that Claude and Cordellia had been so vague about Dior. What made her so special. Why would her soul come back and seek revenge? That wouldnt make sense. People dont remember their past lives. If they did it would screw up the planning of things. Fate had a giant web and each time something ended the pattern begun again. Humans teach their children history lessons in hopes that the past will not swing around a second time but it always will some way or another. The variables will be slightly differnet but only slightly. 

I sat there in my chair staring at the picture of the palm on my screen. Tapping my pencil on the table. Too many questions zoomed through my head. None of them cogent or intelligible thoughts. I held my temples trying to rest myself. I was giving myself a migrane and causing myself to get dizzy. 

I needed answers! Standing up suddenly I threw my stress ball across the room angrily. It rolled harmlessly across the floor. I sighed with defeat. 

"What could he want?!" I screamed to myself

I knew the answer I was just denying it. I wouldnt accept it. I wouldnt even think the words that would form the sentence in my head. It didnt exsist. He should know better. He made a decision that night. He made a decision and he would have to stick with it. I couldnt believe he could be so selfish! Didnt he know what he was doing to me? I was driving myself crazy without him and it could only get worse with him within my grasp. He doesnt know what I went through to get myself onto stable ground. He doesnt know anything!

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I looked at it, it was Castor. Probably calling to suggest I come home instead of go bar hopping. That or talk me out of this frenzy I put myself into. I imagine Phoenix had told him what had happened. I dont think Castor would have been able to predict my reaction though. I couldnt have predicted my reaction. I was just as irrational and uncontrolable as Castor had been before I had put him in his grave. 

I denied the call and put the phone on the table besides me. I leaned on it and shut my eyes. I needed to slow down and think. If I wanted answers so bad why didnt I just go and get them myself? Because I didnt know how I would react near him. Nonsense, I told my self. I was a stable person, I could handle myself.... most of the time. I could do it now to. Thats it. I would drive to the air port and go back to the states. I was going to find him and finally put a stopper on this. No more running. We needed to set the record straight so I could move on with my life. 

I walked toward the door confidently. I zoomed out of the building and got into my car. I slammed on the pedal and rocketed off down the road. I took turn after turn. Anger growing inside me. How would I move on now? I cant remember how I moved on before. I was leading myself into a trap. I couldnt live without him. I had learned that over the last 5 years. Life had been hell for me. The drinking, the one night stands, the list seemed endless to me. I had turned myself into a mess over him. 

I picked up my phone and searched through the database. Finding the number I was looking for I dialed it up. 

"Hello?" Answered a mans voice on the other side 

"Is this Colonel James Rhodes?" I asked 

"Yeah, whos this?" he replied hesitantly

"This is Evangeline Scagilla," I answered

I heard a slight intake of breath on the other side "And what can I do for you?"

"I need to know where Tony is." I replied

"Still looking for you" He answered

"And why is that?" I was growing frustrated. 

I twisted the steering wheel sharply on the hair pin turn. It was raining and the tires were slipping. I gripped the steering wheel and tried to regain control but instead I went sliding past the metal barrier down the side of the steep hill. I slammed my hand against the roof to hold myself in the seat as the car began to roll. 

My head his the windshield and black and white flashed before my eyes. I regained semi-conciousness and looked around me. I saw a metal clad hand rip the passenger door off. The car was leaning on the drivers side. Teetering it felt like. I looked up as he climbed through the car in his suit. He ripped the seat belt off of me and pulled me out of the door.

I looked up at him as his mask flipped back away from his face. His brown eyes were wide and worried.  I drank in his face. Feeling happy to know what it felt like to look at him again. Over the past six years I hadnt even looked at a billboard with his face on it. I noticed he had aged since the last time I had seen him. His clean cut facial hair had a little more grew in it. Along with his hair. 

"We need to get you to a hospital," He said shortly

I nodded weakly and closed my eyes. Still trying to deny the happiness I felt.