eunoia ; malum

14

TWO OF THEM WERE STILL ALIVE. Susan Riley and James Zygote both lived in the same retirement home, and had both married someone who was in the out of order section of the files. They both never checked out of the mental institution, nor entered another one.

Mel had decided on bringing what she would call her 'children'. She would act as Susan's daughter, while Jack would act as James' son.

Mel brought Calum because he knew what was going through her head, as well as Rodney because who doesn't want a shape-shifter to protect them? Jack brought Jackson because he could hypnotise James if needed and Nina because she would know when shit went down.

Rodney shape-shifted in the car when they were parked at the retirement home. He turned into Yoshi, joking that him and Calum would look related. And, although incredibly racist, Rodney was right. Even if Yoshi was Japanese, and even if Calum was Maori, and even if they were completely different, he was right.

"Oh, shit, this is weird," Rodney said, testing out Yoshi's voice.

Calum rolled his eyes, getting out of the car. He followed after Mel, who looked like she was on a mission. They were all nervous. All scared of what they'd find. The fact that they had driven an hour to find nothing would be disappointing, so they hoped there was something up.

As Calum, Rodney (Yoshi?) and Mel were led to Susan's room, the Maori felt panicky. He couldn't help but be a nervous wreck for no reason.

An old lady with a sour expression sat in her arm-chair near the window. She was reading a book she paid no attention to, plotting on how to get out of the place. She raised an eyebrows at the person who was suspected to be her daughter, and pursed her lips.

"Lillian?" she asked.

"Yes, mother."

Susan nodded to the staff member that had taken Mel and the two boys there, and she left. The old lady grinned, and got up. She ushered them to sit. (Calum had to hand it to her, she walked faster than Jack did.)

Calum knew she had caught on to the fact that they weren't related to her, but he just sat pretty until she did. She boiled the kettle with an absent-minded smile. Once it was boiled, she slipped and spilt it all over Calum. When the water just glided off his skin without a mark, she looked up at him.

"My creation." She mumbled.

"What?" Calum asked, pretending to be confused.

I thought every one of you were dead. "You're my baby diploid." I thought I killed every one of you.

The Maori, although visibly shaken, sat down in his chair. He gave a look to what was supposed to be Yoshi, and Mel, shaking his head. They didn't seem to understand. Mel put her hand on his arm, healing him a little.

"How did you find me?" the old lady continued.

"In the institution, your files were out of order."

"You stay there?" Jackpot. Susan raised her eyebrows.

Calum was quick to answer. "No. We live out of town. We just noticed the amounts of anagrams around here." He was convincing enough, and the lady seemed to take it. "It's better being off the map, you know?"

She nodded slowly, her questions being directed more towards Jackson and Mel, but Calum jumped in occasionally when he knew they were about to tell the truth. After ten minutes of her bullshitting her way around the subject, they left. They weren't going to get the answers they needed.