Crossover

Chapter 16: Origins

Marina walked me to the main entrance. She’d left Alia with one of her employees, so that she could escort me.

“Here.” She said, handing me a small pack as we walked. “It’s got the usual stuff; weapons, suit, food pac…”

“I know what the usual is,” I said, cutting her off. I grabbed the pack from her hand, hostility flaring up. “I can’t believe you are doing this to me. Sending me to Luala to kill some poor man for you? It makes me sick…”

“It’s what the job calls for, Kefira.” She said, coldly. We stopped just inside the front doors; the shiny metal walls here capturing our reflections. “As my daughter and my employee you should know that.”

“I’m not your daughter,” I seethed. To be her daughter would have meant she was a mother to me, and that was far from the reality.

 “Kefira,” she said, dropping the patronizing act. “Like usual, you are right.”

I couldn’t believe what I heard. “What?” I asked.

“You heard me. You aren’t my daughter.”

Now this I couldn’t believe. “But we look so alike. How is that possible?”

She gave me a look of exasperation. “We look more than alike, Kefira. We look identical.”

I cast a glance in the reflective metal on the walls. There were minor differences; I was smaller and much younger. But as I looked I saw what was unmistakeably the same.

Our hair was the same shade of dark brown, long and straight, with the tiniest amount of curl at the bottom. Our figures were the same too, curves in the same places. The way we carried ourselves was also so similar, defiance and strength in the way we moved.

“How?” I asked. It seemed impossible that this was a coincidence.

“You are me,” she admitted, glancing to the floor then back up. “I created you from my own DNA, but with improvements. You had the ability to crossover, the strength and grace I never had.” She shook her head, making her hair ripple around her shoulders, and laughed a little. “I’m a little jealous of you actually.”

I wanted to refute this, to say it wasn’t true. But I knew, I just knew it was.

“I wanted you to look up to me, to admire me.” She continued. “I made you to be my personal protector.”

“You mean your pet killer,” I said, malice slipping into my words. “Well that backfired didn’t it?”

Marina looked at me, a mix of approval and jealousy. “Never did I think you’d have my mind though.” She said. “And that was my greatest flaw.”

I stared her down, that double of me. “I don’t think like you.” I said. “I may look like you, but I certainly am not the evil brev’t that you are.”

She snickered at this. “You are more like me than you’d ever imagine. Manipulative. Quick thinking. Wanting things your way…”

I snorted, casting my gaze down to the floor. I hated that she was right.

“You just need to embrace your gifts, Kefira.” She said, reaching out to pat me on the arm. “You have them despite of what I did to you.”

“I need to get going now,” I said. I wanted to get this over with and get back to Alia as soon as possible.

“Ah yes,” Marina said. “Your friend is waiting for you, probably very worried by now.”

“He is still there?” I asked. I had no idea how long I’d been here for.

Marina nodded. “It’s funny,” she said. “He reminds me of a young boy I used to know…”

She smiled, lost in thought. Then she turned and walked away, giving me no explanation for her last remark.

--------

Zedron was still there, sitting on the ground beside of the horses. His face lit up as he saw me.

“Kefira!” he said, jumping to his feet in surprise. It took him a moment to realize what was missing. “Where’s Alia?” he asked.

I didn’t have anything to say. I just stood there, hoping he’d read my mind so that I wouldn’t have to tell him.

“Was she not there?” He wondered. I saw that I was going to have to do this the hard way.

“She was there,” I told him. “But they wouldn’t let me have her.” I breathed out, counting to five to try and keep the anger and tears at bay. “I have to do something for them first.”

He walked over, and put his arms around me, hugging me tightly. “We can do this,” he said. “We’ll get her back.

I pulled away. “No.” I said sharply. “We are not going to do anything.”

He looked puzzled.

“You aren’t coming with me on this. I’m not letting you.” I didn’t want his help. It made me feel weak.

He looked offended. “Why not?” He asked.

“Because,” I said. “It’s not something I want you to see.”

“Wait,” he said. “You are working for them again?”

I nodded. “I had no other option.”

He stood there for a moment, gathering information I didn’t even know I was giving out. “No.” he said finally. “It’s not that.”

“It’s very simple,” I responded, anger flooding my veins. “I don’t want you to see me do this.”

I could see the light go on in his head as he realized what I was saying. “You don’t want me to see you do this because..?”

“Oh you know this already.” I spat. “Why don’t you just say it, because I definitely won’t.”

He held his breath for a moment. “You really want me to say it?” he said, exhaling.

I nodded.

“Okay.” he said. “You think I’ll disapprove, or hate you for doing this, don’t you?”

I nodded again, tears springing to my eyes.

“But I won’t. I can’t hate you for that.”

This made me even madder. “No!” I yelled. “You have to. You have to hate me. I kill people, Zedron. I’m a horrible human being and I deserve to be despised.”

“But I don’t.” he said. “It’s when you are at your weakest. This is your dark spot and you are giving in to it to save your daughter. And you think I’ll hate you for it?” He laughed, running his hand though his hair. “I can’t hate you for having something we all have.”

My anger dissipated, melting into sadness and relief. He was hesitant to hug me again; afraid I’d push him away. But I pulled him in anyway, taking his lack of resistance to it as a good sign.

I stood there, holding him close to me, thinking.

What if I took him with me? It would take some explaining on my part, but I liked having him around. And he wasn’t making it easy for me to leave.

I thought about it for a while, deliberating what to do. But I realized that I shouldn’t be the one to choose.

“Zedron.” I said, pulling back from him for a moment. “There’s something I need to tell you…”