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Secrets Hidden Within Pt. 01

By: maxex5452



Introduction

Well welcome to my story! It's very fun, adventurous, horror, and just a bit about everything. But remember, this is a fictional story. And also, I put everything I seen on movies, and what I read in books in this book I'm making. So there's everything in here! But let's cut to the chase, or the point, or whatever you call it nowadays! 

There are bad and good news about the story. This is the good part. There once was a woman that met a man and fell in love with him. (Cutting to the point so far!) So they got married and had only 1 child! The bad news is that they're both mutants, but since they were both mutants, (almost the strongest ones on earth) made a child that was the greatest one on the earth! And her name was Maxe Guevara (the E is silent). But her life was very complicated since her parents died. And later in the story is that her parents kept secrets from her. The secrets were about the government, just about everything, even about her family. And Maxe just has to find out of what they kept from her. But curiosity didn't kill her just like the cat. 

They designed her to be the perfect soldier, a human weapon. But then they escaped in a broken world, she is haunted by their past. She cannot run, but has to fight to discover her destiny. (From Dark Angel the series! But edited into my version!) And this is her story...

Chapter 1 

Stealing

In a big city near New York one day Maxe (was only 2 years of age) and her mother was going down the street to get groceries. But then somebody grabbed on to Maxe's arm. She tried to scream, but was muffled by a hand that was tightly pressed against her mouth.

By then her mother knew something was wrong. Maxe sometimes does let go of her mother's hand once in awhile. But this time, she felt danger. "Maxe?" she started to call and looked around. She didn't see her. By then she was worried! "Maxe?" she called louder. By then she was running frantic just to find her baby. She tried to find Maxe by searching for her mind, but didn't find it! Then she panicked, screaming her baby's name louder than ever. 

She ran a corner, and saw a gray van, and saw a man carry something in it. 

"Maxe!!!" She called. 

Then the man saw her, and shouted to the driver, "She's coming! Go!! Go!!" And the truck was gone!

By then she knew she would never see her baby again. But she was wrong.

1

When she got home (empty-handed), she told her husband (Adam Guevara) that somebody kidnapped their daughter. As she told him this, he looked shocked. When she was done, he was furious. 

"How could you have let this happen?!?" He asked furiously.

"What was I supposed to do?" She said, looking confused.

"To look after her!!!" He yelled.

"Well I thought she was fine until I got the feeling, she was in trouble, Adam!" she snapped back. "I just turned around and she was gone! I mean ... I was shocked too!"

"I'm sorry. It isn't your fault." Finally coming to his senses.

"What are we going to do? Adam?" He had his back to her.

"I don't know, Jesse. I simply don't know. How about.... No."

"What?" She asked franticly. "What is it Adam?" Finally he turned around, so she could see his eyes, they had hope in them.

"Maybe we can look for her."

"But what if we can't find her?"

"Just keep looking." He said hopefully. 

They started to make flyers for her. Talked to the police but they didn't find her. This is what the flyer with the picture of a pretty girl said. . . 

Missing
Maxe Mae Guevara Age 2
Brown hair, brown eyes
If you find her contact Adam or Jessica Guevara
555-6930

But nobody found her or didn't even look. 

Chapter 2 

The Beginning

"What happened to me, I was not sure. I just woke up in a tank of green water, and metal in my mouth. I looked up and saw people in weird suits. Like they were just about to land on the moon. But then I felt red, hot, pain flash through my body. And then I tried to scream, but nothing came out but bubbles, and metallic liquid flowing in my mouth. 

"Ah, but the pain!!! It hurt so badly! I wanted my mom, but that gave me confidence to get the hell out of that place!"

I heard the tape that they were taping me on. At least I won't have to repeat this story one more damn time! I told so many people and I didn't want to again! They wanted progress, but I wouldn't give it to them until finally tonight. Tonight was the night. I had to tell them, but it tore me up in side. I was also thinking how corning this sounding, but they wanted it, so I'm giving it to them! 

"Finally, the less people the better! There were only 3 around me, but not looking at me. So I made my move. I used all my strength and broke free. The men finally noticed me when I was just about out! Hey!! One of the men said through a monotone voice.

"They grabbed on to my arms and pushed me down hard!!! I went down with a hard thud. The water came back in my mouth and I was choking. They tried to strap me down again but I would not let them! More men came, but struggled to keep me down. But I wouldn't give up now! I wanted to see my mother!! 

"I used all my strength and pushed them all in the machinery. And I prayed; forgive me Father, for I have sinned. I was astonished at the time, but no time for that now! So I ran! Until I got to the doors. They were closing, but I saw snow! I was trying to figure out what to do, and then finally making up my mind, to run to my mom! So I squeezed through the doors. I ran until I saw, I was in the woods. I was cold. But then, I just thought of what happened, and walked at the same time. Just trying to figure this out in my head. Then I came to a nice family restaurant. I walked in only with my underwear on, which I thought right know, was embarrassing as shit! But then I didn't give a fuck. And people are just staring right at me. Then a big plump, nice woman looked up from pouring coffee for this old guy. Oh dear!!! She said. 

"And I just studied her. Brown hair, pretty eyes, big laugh lines all round her face. She must have a good life. Not like me!

"What happen to you, child? She asked. I barely knew English, because I didn't get taught. Only when I was really little. And I was gone for five years, so I think I would forget language in at the time, since I didn't really even talked then. Whatever I wanted I pointed! So I didn't talk much. Well back to the story, so I just said nothing. Will just get you fixed up she said. Then she left and came back with a bright towel. She put it around my shoulders.

"Th-thanks I whispered. I'm surprised I knew that!

"Oh you do speak! Well you're welcome! And she smiled big, so I smiled back. I just wanted to know where I was and how old I was. But I couldn't find out because I couldn't talk. 

"Well just fix you up. You hungry? She asked. I nodded. I'll just make you some pancakes. She talked while she led me over to a corner table. Here you go. I'll be back, she replied. Then she left. 

"I just wanted to know where I was, that's all! But I was hungry I realized. After that thought flyed past my head, I started thinking what had happened to me. I didn't even pay attention to the outside world. I was that deep in my thoughts.

"Then an old beat-up ford pickup truck came into the parking lot. I didn't notice because I didn't really care. I was just back in my mind just thinking away. A man and woman came in from the beat-up ford and sat down at one of the tables. 

"Listen Greg, I don't want to talk about this anymore. It's just bringing back bad, old memories." I lied, but yet I wasn't. It was and I would have those terrible nightmares again! Which was great? Because I just got rid of them!

"Alright, go get your rest and you can tell us more tomorrow." Greg Marble said. Sighing and wished he didn't cave in! 

"Thanks. I will talk more about it, tomorrow. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay." Closing his eyes, and rubbing his temples. Today was not his night. He had the biggest headache there ever was. But at least they got progress in the Guevara case. It's been 9 years, 8 months and 10 days. And tonight she started to tell them. Greg shut off the tape recorder, and went to get some rest like she did. But she had very troubled rest if you want to call it rest.

1

Every night, or at max a week I had bad dreams! I hated everything! I had a family now and they took me away! I just stopped running and boom, I got caught! 

This dream always repeated in my head all the time. It's about when I was kidnapped and everything my parents said when they were in the restaurant. I wasn't sure it was what they actually said or not, but they did.

"Adam do you think we'll find her? I'm not quite sure anymore."

He truly wanted to tell her 'it's been 5 years, Jess. I think she's dead'. But he couldn't dare. It would break her and his heart. He just didn't want to stop looking for his daughter. What he would do to that bastard when he finds him. He'd be sorry just to look at her!

"Honey, I... I don't know." He sighed. "I just don't know." What he saw in her eyes was despair. He felt like a heel!

Maxe finally looked up and heard what they were saying. Their voices sounded so familiar. 

So she looked at the man, but couldn't place the face. He had dark hair, either black or dark brown, big, muscular, she would say in his early 30's, and fairly handsome. But it also he had stress lines and wrinkles around his face, and also saw he was very tense. She wondered why. But she didn't get a good look at the woman. Just her hair, dark brown, just like her own. She also sounded uptight, also tense, and stressed. Why was these couple stressed and tense? 

"Here you go!" She jumped. The woman had scared her. The plump woman laid the pancakes down. "Jumpy are yaw?" She just giggled and left. Suddenly Maxe wasn't hungry no more. She wanted to see the couple. So she got up and started to walk toward them.

Adam was just staring right into her face, looking for something to say. But then he saw something in his eye. And looked, and it was a little girl. About 6, 7 years of age. But he couldn't get his eyes off her, and then something clicked. It was Maxe! His daughter! He was shocked, and was left staring.

"Adam? What are you looking at?" Maxe just stood there. Waiting for an answer. Then the woman turned around, and she recognized the woman, it was her mother! She started to cry. 

"Mommy?" Maxe practically whispered. She wasn't sure, but she hoped!

Then I awoke, dripping in sweat on the cot they gave me for a bed. The sheets were off the bed. But I didn't pick them up. I ran toward the sink. I turned on the cold faucet on and water spewed out. I stuck out my hands and got some water and splashed some on my face. I always had to do this when I had one of these past dreams; otherwise I ended up with a seizure or something, but not with my husband Logan Cael. Because he had the same damn dreams! 

I didn't go back to sleep, I only ended up staring at the ceiling and waited for the guard would take me to the cafeteria, to eat breakfast. 

2

"My mother turned around to see what my dad was looking at. And she found a little girl that looked like her own. And then she heard a faint whisper coming out of the little girl. And it dawned to her it was me! Maxe! She called out. She wasn't sure if it was her or not. And I broke out into a run and was crying mommy! My mother was running toward me, arms outstretched. And we embraced by hugging and crying our eyes out. 

"We were crying! My dad broke out of his shock and came over and hugged us both. He just thanked god he got to see his daughter again! He found out he was crying himself! And people were watching but we didn't care! 

"They pulled each other away, and just looked at me. She was so happy. Where were you? My mother finally broke the silence between them. I just shrugged my shoulders. My father remembered that I couldn't talk. 

"Jesse? He asked.

"What Adam? She kept her eyes on her daughter.

"She can't talk. My father said.

"What? She looked at dad, then me, Can you talk? She asked me.

"I just shook my head. My mom gave out a long sigh. "Come on, we'll take you home. And I went home that day. Finally a home. Not a green liquid-filled tank."

Chapter 3 

The Killing

"After six weeks, I was having the time of my life. We went roller skating, did hockey, everything. But after a week of it I was just kind of stuck or sick of it. 

"Hey honey, want to go see a movie today? Asked mom, but just being happy and doing the dishes. I didn't want to break her heart. But what I said was straight but simple.

"I'm sorry mom. I'm really tired out of ..., of..., well of what we're doing! It's just ... I don't know." I finally got it off my back. Thank god! I thought.

"What my mom did surprised me. She sighed the biggest sigh I ever heard. Good! You are just wearing us out! Thank you for saying something. She said also getting it out of her system! I just giggled. 

"Why don't we just relax and be lazy today? I asked and hoped that my mom would say yes!

"Not a bad idea, Maxe. Agreeing with me. By the way, where's dad?

"He said he was going to look for a job. I explained.

"Oh. Not a bad idea for himself. I only giggled again.

1

"Later that day, when mom and I were napping in my parent's bedroom, I heard something. So I got out of bed and went to the sound. Then I came to the kitchen window and saw nothing, except the grass and the normal things to be in a yard. 

"But something felt not right. Like something was odd. Then a crash came and a huge arm through the window! But I ducked but only the long, cat-like nails scratched the bicep of my arm. And I screamed!"

Now I was getting to the good part where it was the second thing that messed up my life! The greatest Thing that ever happened to my life, which was my mother's and father's death. 

2

Jesse felt something wrong, and instantly woke up, but still she had that feeling, but that is when she heard a crash and heard Maxe's scream. She got out of bed quickly and ran toward Maxe. 

She came toward the kitchen, and saw... nothing. She was totally scared but pumped for a fight. But then she saw some movement in one of the corners. She walked toward it, and then she stood in front of it. 

3

"I just ran from the big ugly arm. And hidden in a corner where it couldn't see me. But I just closed my eyes and wished this was a dream. 

"Then I heard footsteps, and saw them. I just shivered, scared and waiting for my death. Then the next thing I knew I was in the air, and saw my mother with vampire fangs. Don't hurt me, mommy! I said as a whimper. 

"Jesse saw it was her daughter. And let her down. I'm sorry Maxe. I thought you were something else. She looked scared but pumped or excited in away. I couldn't identify the look in her eyes.

"Mom? Breathing hard. She said its okay. There was an arm, and it scared me, it just came crashing in, and, and ... I said so fast. And I started to cry. I looked up and saw I was on my mother, being cradled. But then I saw the ugly monster! Mom! Just only a whisper.

"What? Nothing's wrong. It's okay. She said very calmly.

"Mommy, look out! I screamed, when the monster was just swinging his arm to hit. I was so scared when that happened. It scared me shitless!" I breathed a deep breath and just waited for something to happen, but it didn't come.

"Well, go on. What happened?" Greg asked.

"Hey! Who's telling the story? I can just stop right now and you would never know what happened! Wouldn't that be nice?" I was just pissed! He was rushing me! What a dick! I told this story a fucking millions of times, and he's rushing me! Shesh! 

"Hey, hey! Calm down! Okay. I'm sorry. So, what happened?" He wanted to know.

"You know what? If you want your story so bad, you can wait one more damn day!" And I stormed out, headed for somewhere, that I'd be alone. 

4

Jesse knew what was going to happen after Maxe screamed in her ear. So she threw the child somewhere. It was better than being killed. And she felt the hot, sickening pain in her neck and lungs. She could only gasp. He turned her around to look at her. Ridiculous Jessica, he thought she could do anything! He just laughed in her face. 

She found it was very hard to breath. But she only said, "You Bastard!" just barely coming out as a whisper. And he just laughed harder. And gripped tighter. And the darkness began to grow around her vision.

Maxe got thrown across the room and banged her head on the wall with a sick thud. Maxe only saw gray turning into black. But she would not let it fall. So she cleared out the fog that was in her head. And then she was looking at her mother, who was hanging in the air by only by a big monster. Maxe got up quickly, and then felt dizziness sweep over her. But it went away after awhile. And then ran to her mother. And started to beat on the monster's legs, yelling at him to stop! 

Sabertooth just looked down and saw the child. He just laughed harder. 

Finally Maxe stopped and looked up confused and studied the monster. Quite hairy like an animal, with cat-like eyes. And was wearing animal skins as if it were a suit. What he just did scared her, he stopped laughing and smiled. He had lion fangs! Next she felt a hard smack come down on her chest and flew to the wall again. She heard her mother. But then the darkness finally came and she was out.

Adam came in the drive and felt something was terribly wrong. He got out of the truck, and didn't bother closing the door. He just walked until he came to 5 yards to the door when he heard a thud. Then he ran, but then he felt sick pain right in his neck. He stopped and touched his neck and felt a dart. And then he passed out.

5

Killing Adam was simple, just a dart in the neck. It was easy, but too easy. He thought this over and knew something was wrong so he got the body and ran toward the van that would take him to Utah. I sat upright from my hiding place, and knew that was how my father was killed. But it was only a dream, right? I didn't know, but this dream was haunting her ever since she got out of that place. I just didn't know.

6

"After my father got killed, a man named Lou was going to see his pretty niece Maxe. Shh..." Greg cut her off. 

"How did he die?" wondering.

"I really don't know. I just assumed it, because I haven't seen him since... hmm, I don't know... till this day, you idiot! Now do you want to hear the story or not?"

"Yeah, sure. Go on." being furious, but not letting it show.

"She always called him Uncle Louie. He liked her but knew something was going to happen in the future that he didn't like, but it was god's way to make the future, not him. When he got in his brother's drive he saw that he was home but left his car door open. That was a never a good sign. So he ran to the door. He heard nothing. He knocked no answer. He knocked again, and it was the same, no answer. So he opened the door. And all he heard was silence, but then a gasp. He ran. But when he got to the living room that leads into the kitchen, he saw the worst."

7

"Sabertooth looked up and saw Lou. This was another challenge for him. He just smiled gratefully. 

"What do you want with them? Lou asked. 

"Dead! Replied Sabertooth and smiled more. And squeezed tighter, she was almost out and limp in his hands. He didn't care. It was all the same to him.

"Lou studies the scene and saw me on the counter, limp. He moved a step. 

"If you want her dead, keep on stepping! He growled.

"You were going to kill her anyway. Making the statement a fact.

"So!

"Lou did the thing that was very dangerous, but yet the only way to save me and Jess. He jumped over to the monster. He growled. He threw the body and started to fight with Lou. 

"Is that good enough for you? Can I go eat or something?" wanting to be done.


Secrets Hidden Within Pt. 01



"Yeah, whatever!" He did not want to lose this story, so he kept his patience, but he still was furious!

8

She was able to breathe! Thank God! She thought surely that she was going to die! But then she felt the pain! Right on her side! The knife she used on the apple that Maxe and her ate today! She forgot to put it away! 

In a split second she fell down to the floor and the knife was still with her and was carried down, making the wound bigger. She felt more of the agonizing pain! But she didn't care! Where was Maxe? That was what terrified her the most! She saw her. Looked like she was alright. 

She started to crawl to her, making the wound bigger. Suddenly she couldn't move! They cramped! She couldn't believe this! Her fucking legs had to give out on her at the last minute! She thought. But then Maxe stirred. She felt relived. I awoke again from the terrible dream! So many things, she could have done! I should have said yes, to the stupid movies! 

9

"I tried to move but wasn't sure if I could. All I saw right know was the back of my eyelids. But then they fluttered open. I looked down and saw my mother, in a pool of blood. I was absolutely terrified. I came down from the counter and I felt a headache and light-headed. I came to my mother and my mom smiled. She was afraid herself. I was arms length away when Uncle Louie bumped the wall behind my mom. 

"Uncle Louie? I was confused. But then my mom said something. I couldn't make it out because of the blood that was forming in her mouth. 

"But then it was clear, but still muffled. Maxe keep this, she gave me her two of her necklaces. The two I have on now." I pointed to the blue stone and the dragon claw holding a marble around my neck. A blue blown glass stone that had sparkles in the middle. It reminded me of the river or the ocean. The dragon claw, I thought it was magic. 

"It's beautiful!" He said while gawking at the two necklaces. It reminded him to of the ocean. He saw the other one and thought of evil.

"You'll need them on your journeys. It will help you through anything. She continued. I love you Maxe, and you know that. You will have tough challenges on your way but you'll survive. She choked but drank her own blood. You will have a great man in your life, and he'll save you a couple times but the rest is yours. I will always be in your heart! And then she slowly died. I was crying through all of this." Feeling the hot tears rolling down my face. And I never wanted to cry in front of a person again. But that rule broke.

"Are you all right?" Asked Greg. He can feel himself breaking apart just hearing that! 

"Of course not! Wouldn't you be crying if your mother died like that?" I said, just crying harder!

"Look, if you want to stop today, at that, you can." Knowing it was true.

"No! I'll finish it!" Wiping the tears of my face. "It will give me nightmares from it! If I don't finish it, I'll, I'll... I just don't know. But I do know is this, if I don't do that part today, I'll have dreams of it." But that night she did. Not a single thing could stop that dream!

"Alright, continue." And she did. He respected her, for being so bold, just to tell it. She said, she told this story millions of times, but this time, it was different! This time it would be recorded to be heard again, and again! 

"I didn't want to let go of my mom now! Mommy? I whimpered. Please don't die! I said this and was crying harder now. But I was still clutching my mother's hand, with the stone and dragon's claw. But then there was a crash of glass and somebody was helping Uncle Louie a hand with Sabertooth. 

"I got him. The stranger said.

"Uncle Louie grabbed me from my mother's grasp. He heard me crying. It was a bad sight. I was bailing and kicking. It would be the last time; I would see my mother, ever again!"



Secrets Hidden Within Pt. 02



Chapter 4 

People

Last night I did not sleep well. It was bad, real bad. I practically relived my past. And was such a horrible night. Seeing my mother like that again. It makes me think why I'm even here. Like just ask yourself over and over why are you here? But you get no damn answer! Just ask god, to just kill myself, but I tried over many years, and it's not working. I tried suicide many of times, but it does not work! Curse my mother and father! There was only one way to kill me! But I don't know it! Only three people know, and two are my parents. But the other one, I don't want to explain her right now!

1

Last night was the worst for her, and he knew it for sure. Because he took one look at her today, and she looked miserable. It was plain to see that she did not sleep well last night. He felt bad for her, but the worst was yet to come. And he knew as the other people that are on this case. That's why she was a criminal. Because of what happened in her past. Of what they did to her. It was also plain to see that she is older than 40. But she looks like she is in late twenties! But she is a mutant. So that has a lot to explain. Greg thought this over and decided that he'll give her a brake today, plus he needed one himself on this case. 

2

Where is she? He must find her! All he wanted right know was to find his wife, and raise his children, but he hasn't seen her for over ten mortifying years! It's breaking his heart and it was probably to her too. He should have trusted her intuition. She did say something bad was going to happen and it happened between them.

What he was doing was getting pay, but looking for his lost wife. As he was rigging up the sails, he thought he would never get her back, but he thought look on the bright side, but there was no bright side. He believed he would never see her again, but still he hoped and wished that he would find her. And he will get his wish. He promised himself he will get her back, and he never broke any of his promises.

3

He needed to find her and her family, otherwise it would spread! He should have wasted the whole family, while they were here, but that would have been a risk, but he should have! Even if he did it. He should have killed the Guevaras'! But no! Ames White knew he had to find her and kill her, and her pesky little family! But she should be over her 50ties! But he was over two thousand years old! And pesky know-it-all Dr. Jean Gray thought mutants were new! Ha! If her destiny was supposed to destroy him, good luck to her!

4

Professor Xavier hoped they were all right especially Maxe and Logan! He didn't want them to get hurt. 

"You're thinking about them, aren't you?" Scott Summers also known as Cyclops said.

"And you don't read minds?" he asked back. He turned around to face Scott, and saw that he was worried too. 

"Well she has been gone for awhile. So I'm just worried."

"I know Scott, I know. I'm worried too." He wished they would be alright.

"Do you even know were she is?" Curiosity washed over him. "I mean with Cerebro?"

"No, but it's very faint. Like something on your tongue but can't get. She is hiding from me, or either she wants to be alone. Or I'm wrong or something, but if I concentrate harder I'd kill her, but she is extraordinary strong, but I don't want to take the risks." 

Jesse heard this from the corner that she was in. She didn't think that Professor might hear her, but she was wrong.

"Jesse, what are you doing out of class?" Jesse turned red, without even being seen. She came out of her invisibility mode and stared at her feet.

"I'm sorry Professor, but I just want to find my mom." Jesse said.

The professor looked at the nineteen year-old girl, and felt pity. It was Maxe's daughter. "It's okay Jesse. We'll find her." He said with hope.

"Thanks Professor." She came running over and hugged him in his wheel chair. Just when she made contact with him, he felt good and felt that Maxe was alright.

5

She had to find her sister. Otherwise they'll all be dead. She is the leader of the group. Sept Ben, but he's out there somewhere. If she finds Maxe, she'll find everybody. She feels that Maxe doesn't even know about her or the siblings. She would have to tell her, but there is little to tell. She doubts that she won't believe her. But she is scared because something bad is coming. But if she doesn't believe this is her destiny, she will die. And Andrea could not let that happen.

6

She keeps up this, she is going to die. But either way, she is. He held her captive for 10 years. Finally she breaks the story. An unbelievable story as a matter of fact! 

Sabertooth? Ha! He just wants to laugh in her face like he did, if there ever was a Sabertooth! He just thought it was ridiculous! But now his patience is almost up. When she is finished with the story, he will let her go but kill her after, with his own hands!

7

Magneto knew she was in trouble and needed to help her. But he knew Sabertooth would not approve of it. And especially when he almost killed her on that day, he killed her mother. He knew she was going to die, because he talked to Charles. She would have died even worse than that, especially with the child. The child would have been dead with her! So he stopped that, because he needed that child! And the child needed him! He smiled.

"What are you smirking about?" Growled Sabertooth.

"Oh, nothing you would understand." Still smirking.

"Try me." Sabertooth snapped back, and the smile faded off of Magneto.

"It was your entire fault that you didn't kill her quickly! It was supposed to be painless and quick! Not a fucking suffering! She died with a knife in her shoulder! Almost reaching the heart!" He yelled to Sabertooth. "She was my sister! I should have done it myself!" He said that slowly but softly. He should have killed her himself! She would have died a painless death. And as of his brother, he was gone and dead at the same time! Why didn't Charles tell him that! He was furious! But he was calming.

"So what do we do?" Asked Sabertooth. 

He thought for a moment, and said, "We shall get her."

"Who?" He growled.

"My niece." He grinned. He hasn't seen her for, how many god knows years! Sabertooth growled after he said that. 

He didn't like that bitch! She fought with him many of times, and she always won! She called him names like, 'Kitty-Kitty. Here Kitty-kitty. Someone needs to clean out your litter-box, because you stink!' But he had to put up with it. Great he thought!

CHAPTER 5

Reliving the Past

"So what do you want to know?" I asked while I studied the room. Very dark and dank. Only with a desk and a swivel chair that goes with it. A couple of stacks of papers on his desk. Very organized. But this guy looked like he didn't have a life! It looks like he was in the army all his life. Even with his grim expression she knew he was different, than a regular person. And she was right.

"What do you think?" Says the guy, which called to bring Maxe Guevara in for questioning.

"I don't know. Maybe fuzzy rainbows or little pink elephants! Or maybe even my dreams!" I said sarcastically. "This is a question for you though. Did you have a life or did you go to the army? I know it's none of my business, but the account of the room, its army like..." Trailing off, and making it hang in the air.

Even with a smile or a joke, she looked deadly. "I ask the questions. What do you think this is a joke?"

"No, I'm just making fun." I flashed a bigger grin. He doesn't take jokes does he? And I thought any guy would have a sense of humor.

"Well I guess you're not going to cooperate, so..." He started to reach the button that was to call security.

"Hey. Listen, if you want to ask me questions, and get answers, you got to be able to get a joke. I guess I can't humor you. Shesh! I just let myself out." I started to get up.

"Fine. Sit."

"Can't you say please?" He had his fingers in a steeple. He looked angry and out of patience. But I guess he doesn't want to show it. But it shows. Even with the vibes, I can tell, even reading his mind. But oh well, life goes on!

"Alright, please sit down."

"Much better." It wasn't actually, but it would do. I sat back down. "So what do you want to know?"

"Hold on..." He rummaged through a pack of papers. "It says here, that you're starting your story of life. Is it not?"

"True." I said with a grin.

"Just answer the question with a yes or no answer."

"Touchy! Yes, I started to tell the 'my life story'"

"I heard the tape so far, and it sounds..., I don't know, corny and unbelievable. Are you making this story up out of your head?" He remained calm.

"Well if you want to or not believe it, it's true. I'm not making this up. I'm telling the truth, and it's in the best form I can make it."

"I also heard that you wake up in the nights, screaming or muttering, or almost killing of one of the doctors that were checking your heart beat. And once you had a seizure right after? Am I right?"

What he said brought awful memories. It brings me to almost killing my husband, or my friends, or taking pills for the seizures. And Original Cindy flushing those pills down the pot. "So? It's true. I almost killed one of my friends by waking up to a bad dream."

"What's the dream about?" Now he's going personal, but I didn't care.

"About what had happen in my past? Everything that ruined my life. And the sick, red hot pain!" Tears stung the back of my nose.

"What do you mean about the pain?"

"You heard the tape! When they were cutting me open and put these in!" With that I extended my claws. Three claws about a foot long came out of my knuckles. "These claws are made of metal. The metal is an alloy called adamantium. They say it is a myth or a legend but it's true. Impenetrable and unbreakable. Supposedly it's indestructible. And guess what, it's all true!" My face was serious and expressionless, until I withdrew them. Then I did a hideous grin. 

"You're the first one to know about this in here." I gestured with the room or the building itself. My grin broadens.

He was totally calm through this, but inside he was scared shitless. He thought, she could kill me now, and I would be dead in minutes. "How, how did you live through the procedure and who did this to you?" he stammered.

"Well my father's basic mutant power was to heal. So I inherited it. But I inherited my entire parent's mutant ability's, which was about everything. You know how I look like I'm in my late 20ties or my early 30ties? Well, I'm actually forty-nine." My grin almost faded completely.

"But who did this to you? And what if I didn't believe you on the healing part?"

"I can show you. Do you have a knife?" My face was serious.

"Yeah." He brought out a Swiss army knife, small but sharp. 

"Slice it across my wrist or wherever you want. I don't care." He sliced it across my wrist, and it burned for a second, but the healing already begun. Now he held the expression of amazement. "Now do you believe me?"

His expression still held. "How do you do that? And also, what if I put a bullet in your head?"

"Well, it is my power, just like of many. And a bullet, well, I would pass out, and heal, I guess. I don't know. Anytime I did get a bullet in my head, I would forget, but I do still heal. And if you want to try it, go right ahead." He still held the expression on his face. 

"Are you sure?"

"Well if you still don't believe me, I recommend it." I did a smirk. 

"If you say so..." He brought out his silencer and pulled the trigger.

1

His assisant came with a bunch of his papers, opened the door, and saw him. He stood with the gun in his hand, and shot the Guevara woman. She screamed as she heard the silencer go off. Everyone else rushed to her to see what was wrong and found Maxe Guevara on the floor with a bullet in her head. And Rick Lean with a silencer gun in hand. Smoking. 

"Look it's not what you think." He stood with his gun by his side. "She told me too." The party was shocked. But then he looked down and watched with interest at Maxe Guevara. And what they saw was amazing.

2

I knew it was going to come. And when the familiar sick pain landed back in my head, I landed to the floor, and passed out, like so many other times. But this time I remembered everything of my life. It flashed just like my dreams, but there was something knew in the beginning. But I couldn't make it out, because this went by like a bullet, fast and unmatchable. And slowly the bullet started to pull out of my head.

And slowly I regained consciousness. When the bullet was finally the whole way out of my head, I snapped open my eyes to the sound of metal hitting wood and gasps. Great! An audience! It was always worse with an audience! They would want to do tests and all this kind of shit to me! Oh well, might as well shock them even more! And I grinned to that. So I did a kick-up and did a perfect landing, while I was still light-headed.

"Now do you believe me?" I turned to the guy that shot me. And I did my devilish grin I had. And he just stood there in amazement. "Well, nice seeing you." And I walked out. But the crowd that was there, also stood in amazement, but they stood away from me as if I was a sickness or something, and I hated that. 

3

For the next few days, they did not send for me, but monitored me, and watched me. And I hated that feeling, rejection. But the story stopped for the tape right now too. 

During the week of being watched and tested I was beginning to think that they thought, being a mutant is a sickness, that if they come to close, they might catch it. 

What I think of regular humans is that they are stupid. Because almost all of the famous scientists that you hear in history are mutants! People are so stupid nowadays. It's ridiculous! But life must go on.

'After the week, a human-being entered my so called 'cage'. "So, are you an alien that took over the planet and destroyed all man-kind, but come to rescue the mutants that you are?" Being sarcastic again. I studied the man in the plastic suit. I went back to the past again.

I tasted metal in my mouth and I looked up and saw the aliens in plastic suits, and it scared me. So I screamed, and watched the bubbles rise. And also saw the bright lights filling the ceiling above me. 

Belts held me down. 

I saw the alien's eyes through the masks. The evil hatred, cold eyes.

And then the aliens lowered their pens that they had in their hands, but really were scalpels.

The scalpels cut my skin open.

And the wicked pain hits.

More cuts.

Unbearable Pain!

But then the vision ended, by the monotone voice that scared me. Like the guy said when I took off from that military base. 

"I said, come with me!" He said again. I looked at the eyes through the mask. They were pity eyes, also know as sad eyes.

So I followed and was led to a lab. People were there, and I gave them an evil grin. But these people didn't have those stupid plastic suits. I guess they weren't afraid of a simple mutant. But guess what ladies and gentlemen, I'm no simple mutant. I grinned at the thought. 

The guy with the plastic suit left into probably in an observing room. So I was left here with these people. The woman that looked like in her middle thirties gave me a hospital gown and said, "Go put this on in the bathroom." I followed her orders like I did in my past, so often. I came out, and she said, "Lie down on this gurney.

"The hell, I'm not laying down on one of those things again, and get split open! Not again! I've been on a gurney before and it wasn't fun! I don't think so!" Are they out of their mind or they shitless?

"Please! We are not cutting you open. We are doing x-rays on you. We are going to take you in another room though, but we're just doing x-rays and tests." Said one of the doctors.

"What are the tests? And how are you going to take them?" Wondering if they were lying.

"Well, it would be a blood test, bone test, hmmm...; everything that we are going to do is just with needles and injections."

"Oh, okay." I guess it's alright. I walked over to the gurney and lied down. 

"You may want to take this." Said the woman and handed me 3 pills.

"What are they?" 

"Pain killers and making you numb, so you can't feel anything." They started to move me into the other room they are supposed to take me.

"Oh." Surprisingly. I swallowed the pills dry. And I instantly felt light-headed. But I kept looking at the lights on the ceiling. It felt like a laser was shooting in my eye. But, it didn't hurt; it was like I was familiar with it. I was confused and the next second I was a sleep.

4

When I awoke, I instantly knew I had been dreaming. I had sweat on my body and I felt very light-headed. I had a major headache. And my arm was aching too. They must have already done the tests. Boy my head was a bitch, today. I must have had a killer dream! 

And then I realized that I was strapped down, and I knew that wasn't good. What happened? I was so confused. And then the door opened from Rick Lean. The guy that put the bullet in my head. I bet he got a kick out of that! And always had to smile my devilish grin.

"So you're a wake? You feel better?"

And I knew something bad happened. "NO! I have a killer headache and my arms are swollen and weak. And why the hell am I strapped down!?!" 

"You want to know why. Well, while you were a sleep, you tried to kill those people that were doing those tests. May I ask why?"

"Because I have bad dreams. And most of my dreams are when I'm fighting for my life. Is that the answer you want? Or maybe I should have said that if I sleep, I'll kill people?" I smiled a sarcastic smile. He didn't smile back.

"Are you saying that once you have a dream you either start screaming or fighting?"

"Exactly." This guy can read me like a book. I read his thoughts. And found something scary. "How long was a sleeping?"

"That's none of you business." He started to leave.

"It's my god damn dream! So it's the right to tell me how long I was sleeping!" I was furious.

"Fine, I'll tell you." He stopped, but his back was to me, so I couldn't see his expression, but I knew it was grim. "You slept a week." And started to go, once again.

"You idiot! I'm not supposed to sleep that long!" But all he heard was "You idiot! I'm not sus...' And it faded along. He didn't care right now; he just wanted answers from this bitch. He didn't care if she slept for a year; he just wanted her to shut up.

"Maggie, watch over her! But don't go in there. It's too dangerous. Get another nurse if you have to go in there." He said to the nurse that he was passing. He didn't have to look at her just to know who she is. 

5

Great how am I going to get out of this one? But then it dawned to me that I still have powers! Duh!!! I'm such an idiot! So I used my power to control things with my mind. So one inch at a time with the straps. I had to concentrate so hard, that my head hurt worse. But I kept going.

"How are we doing?" A nurse came in with a fake smile, and I read her thoughts. What she was saying in her mind was this. Oh, gods damn it! Why did I have to take care of this bitch? Why couldn't that stupid, perfect Megan do it? She's just a perfect little whore! Oh yeah, because she only does the perfect patients, that she could only handle! Bitch! I hope she dies! I snickered. "What's so funny?" Giving me some pills for the headache. She must have known I had a headache.

"That perfect mega, whore-bitch couldn't treat me, because I'm just not a one of those perfect snotty things that she can treat. That nurse named Megan." I said with my devilish grin. And the look I got was priceless. The expression on her face was shock.

"Um, if that's what you want to call her." She said shakily, but the expression faded, but still she wore it.




Secrets Hidden Within Pt. 02



"No, it was the person, which you're talking about in your head. If you don't believe me, you said, 'I hope she dies!' Isn't that right?" It came once again!

"How do you know?" Wearing the face she was in a minute ago. 

"I thought you knew I was a mutant?"

"Well, I did know that, but I didn't know you could read minds." That expression didn't fade this time.

"Well, hello nurse. You got to learn! I'm the greatest mutant in the world! And may I ask you two questions?" She shakes her head. 

"Alright. Can you unstrap me? Because, I'm going to get out of here anyway if you don't. Because it will save me some time and it won't give me a more of a headache. Here is the next question. Why do I have a headache? And how do you know?"

"First of all, you have a headache because you were thrashing around, and we had to hold you down and you smacked me against the wall, and the doctor had to hit you over the head for you to stop." She took a pause and showed me the bruise of where I hit her. It was right on the side. It looked like a basketball hit her like a cannon! I must have been dreaming of the escape. And then she continued. "And I'm not sure that I'm allowed to unstrap you. Because the rumor is spreading."

"What's the rumor?" My curiosity is growing.

"The rumor is that you're very dangerous, and they should just lock you up and throw away the key, or just kill you."

"Well, fuck them too. Tell them that! Also tell them that they will be my next victims!" I smiled my devilish grin. And she went out.

6

Inch by inch, I was struggling. Hey, I haven't practiced for awhile, so I'm rusty.

Two inches.

Three inches.

Almost off...

"Hello X5454." This familiar voice surrounded me. I stopped of what I was doing, and looked at the man I did not recognize. Dirty-blond hair, casual clothes, but business suit. Fairly good looking, but yet he's the guy you would see in the army or something like that. 

"Hello?" I wanted to know who this was. And why he just called me a number, as if I was somebody's property. "Question? Why did you call me that? And who are you?"

"Because that is who you are, but also know as Max, right?"

"'It's spelled with an 'E'. What do you mean, 'of who I am'?"

"Don't you remember of that night, 454?"

"What night?" My curiosity was growing.

"The night that you and your mother escaped of course. Don't tell me you don't remember. And also don't tell me that you don't remember me?"

"No, I don't seem to recall." Giving my sarcastic grin.

"Well, I guess there will be a lot of explaining to do. Well me, I'm Donald Lydecker." Starting to unstrap me.

"Well me, I'm Maxe Guevara. And stop calling me that! I have a name, which my mother gave me!"

"Well should I just start from the real beginning, or should I cut to the point?"

"Just give me what I need to know. I don't want to bite too much that I can chew. Especially with my folks."

"Alright. Let's get started. Well in Manticore you were made."

"What? Manticore? That's a myth in the South America, India, and all those places. It's a half lion and man. How can I?"

"Put it this way. This old mutant named Sandman started this place in America, but he was deformed because of his mutation. But he lived here for thousands of years.'

"Wait a minute. How could that be? The oldest person that lived the most was Noah! That couldn't have been! God wiped out all those people that lived long and did wrong!"

"But he didn't get all. They mostly lived beneath the earth. Because someone knew about the flooding and told them, and so they lived below the earth. And are you always like this?"

"Yep. And please get to the point. I have to go scare a couple of people."

"Is that all you do with your life?"

"Nnn..." He cut me off.

"Or did you do something worth while in your life? Just so you know people will be coming after you."

"Listen what I did with my life is none of your god damn business. I believed in my mutant kind. So I helped the ones that were like me." Suddenly furious. "And plus, people are always coming after me! How do you think I got here?"

"You were helping everybody that was the same. But you and some others that are from Manticore are your kind! Not even they are your kind! You are all alone this world, and you don't even know it! Nobody is like you!" This entire time he was yelling at me. He was furious, but I wasn't no longer. 

I was scared to death. I was all alone in the world, and I couldn't help it! My greatest fear had actually come true. I was sitting up and breathing heavily. I felt dizzy and my headache just got worse! I heard beeps from my heart on the heart monitor. I was floating to my mind, but I didn't want to be trapped alone in the world! And slowly I was drifting out of consciousness. The last thing I saw was fear in Lydecker's eyes. As if he cared. 

7

When I awoke this time, I felt very light-headed and dizzy. I opened my eyes and saw Susie (the nurse that was supposed to take care of me), Rick Lean, a doctor (Nick Andros), and Donald Lydecker. As soon as I opened my eyes, I knew something was wrong, and it was me.

"What?" I was surprised because my voice sounded only a whisper and shaky. 

"We found some shocking news." Dr. Andros said.

"What is it? Do I have some disease? Cancer? Fatal?" Curiosity took over me.

"Well, we took every test you can take that deals with your bones, and we found metal over them as if protecting them. Do you have any idea?" His face remained calm.

"Oh! That stuff! I knew that since I have these!" I withdrew my claws. "Yes, I know I have adamantium metal. Also known as the myth but, its true! You can as my old buddy there Rick." I smiled. 'Tell them what I told you."

He sighed, while everybody looked at him. "'Impenetrable and unbreakable. Supposedly it's indestructible.' Are you happy?"

"No."

"What? What happened to you 454?" Lydecker asked.

I frowned. "I said, STOP CALLING ME THAT! I have a name!" I started to calm. "Rick, show him the tape that I started 'my life story'. And is that all the news because I know that." 

"Your bone marrow, your blood, heartbeat, everything in your body is different than other mutants. How could that be? And also, your DNA is perfect. It has no junk DNA. Everyone is coded with information." He looked at me, straight in the eyes.

"I don't know, maybe you should ask Lydecker?" I looked at him. And I smiled. I wanted to hear this. 

"Because she was practically made in a laboratory. He made all kinds of special kinds of mutants. Water, strength, animal, and any kind you want to try. And we put all of that into her mother, and she gave birth to you. So that explains the reason that you're the strongest mutant in the world. And said that you're the only one in the world like you. All the subjects that we put everything in did not make it. They died or deformed and we had to kill them. But you were different because of your parents." He was staring directly at me. Never leaving my gaze. But I didn't believe him, but yet somewhere in my mind says it's all true!

"But how can that be?" I wondered.

"Let me tell you the night you and your mother escaped."

"Wait a minute! How did my parents even meet?"

"Well, that a more difficult story."

"I want to know!" I was getting mad.

"Fine! I'll tell you! Your father was a good soldier. So we let him take a break. He wanted it very badly, so we let him. And on that break he met your mother. The break was for 2 months. And in that time, your parents fell in love. But one day he told her the story about his life, he thought she would be crushed but she remained calm. What she said was this 'Adam I don't care if you were an alien, because I love you and plus I'm a mutant too.' He was relived at that time so he asked her to marry her. But all this time, Manticore was watching. And he knew. So he told her to run.

"She went to Germany to hide, but they found her, and your father was very upset. He was depressed for the next few days, until he went back to Manticore anyway. When he did go to Manticore he found out what happened. Because I was there. I was standing at the door. We were good buddies. I said 'So how was you're break?' And he said 'It was great in the beginning. But now I feel miserable, all because I found true love and she got kidnapped.' I just looked at him and saw he was down in the blues. And I thought, didn't they bring in a lady in? 'You might be in luck, because they brought a lady back, I'll try to get you to see her.' 'Okay.' I couldn't cheer him up. 

"But I did try to get him to seeing her, and it was alright."

"Stop! I don't want to let everybody to know this, only me." I looked down and started to cry. Nobody moved except Lydecker. He came to me and held me. It was comfort that I needed, but not from him. But it was the only support I had. And I wept on his shoulder. Crying harder than ever. And I found out it was the only comfort I would get in this place.

Chapter 6 

This Bites!

He didn't come back that week and I was worried. He was the only one that knew my past. And I needed him. Because all of these memory dreams are flooding over me, and I wanted them to stop, but yet didn't want them to stop because they were giving me information. But yet they were just confusing me more. 

A few days later I went back to my life story, and it went on for awhile. "Uncle Louie took care of me then on until I was twelve years old, so he took me to an orphanage. This may sound wrong but it is true. What he did for a living was a Slayer of Vampires. I know it sounds unbelievable but it's true, because I helped him."

"What?" Greg asked. And the Tape rolled on almost soundlessly, but I could still hear it.

"Yeah, that's right; me and my Uncle Louie were Vampire Slayers. But after i got bit he took me to an orphanage. This was another mistake in my life." I began to talk about the orphanage, but he stopped me.

"What did you guys do, like how did you kill vampires? You were only 8 to 12. How could you do it?" He was smirking. He didn't believe me, but that's the reaction I was suspecting. Because people don't believe in vampires until they're bit or are a vampire. 

"Well, he taught me how too. Like cut their head off, stake in the heart, silver, most of them worked, but now, I have no-idea." I gave a grim expression; he just tried not to laugh. I couldn't blame him, but it was the truth. "Like what he taught me was Karate, Judo, Taekwondo, and all those other stuff that for fighting, after that I was a fighting machine, I mean I was a quick learner otherwise, I couldn't have done it that fast. And plus, I am a mutant so it's an advantage."

"Question? But I . . ., I don't understand. How do you do it? Like how can you stand the blood and the mess?"

"Well I saw it all my life, so it didn't really bother me. Tough part was to fight them, but it was fun. While it lasted. But on to my other parts of my life." I was about to go on, but he stopped me, and I was blasted with my own sudden furious heat!

"But what of the vampire stories?" Someone snickered in another room. Probably figured I was nuts.

"Well, it was the same thing over and over again. Need I to go with the subject? I slayed vampires with my Uncle about five years of my life. I don't think about the vampires change. They try to bite or kill us, but we end up killing them! Get the point?" I rolled my eyes. 

"Well at least tell me about one of these slayings?"

"Fine. I was ten when this one happened which was not like a regular slaying night! Put it this way, I was kidnapped by one of the vampires, and well they waited for my Uncle to come, so I was practically bait. And if I fought they would bite me and turn me into one of them. 

"But my Uncle came, and he said, let her go. They replied, do you have it? Yes, I do. Now let her go. He pulled out a little bag. And one of them stepped forward and took it. But once he turned around to give it to the one that was closest to me. He must have been the leader or something; he was always doing the planning. But when he turned around my Uncle blasted him with a silver gun. Now she will suffer all her life. He looked down on me. And he raised my wrist, just so you know; I was in a trance when all this happened so I couldn't do anything. He raised my wrist only one fang touched my wrist and it bleed and then the poison was already in me, but my Uncle blasted him as was the other fate of the other vampire. I was already dieing from being human."

"But you are a mutant."

"Yeah, but are DNA is similar. Every thousands of year's evolution changes. There is only a slight change in the DNA to make these mutations. I thought you already knew this."

"Only slightly, I didn't understand it. But now I do. So you are a vampire?" He had a slight amusement in this tone. I heard more snickering and giggling.

"Yeah, I guess you can say that. But my Uncle saved me until the poison did the real damage. Like give me the hunger of blood. The only thing it did to me was give me all of the vampires strengths, but none of there weaknesses. So it's pretty cool. But I do have the fangs." I showed my teeth and showed the fangs on the upper jaw. He didn't believe me. Any idiot can see that. "Look I don't care if you believe me or not, but it's true."

"Right, well go on. What happened next?"

So I went on with the story. "I screamed with pain flowing all through my body. My heart and everything were quickening while this process was happening. Uncle Louie stopped blowing and killing' vampires and came to me. Later on he told me this story, he said that my veins were sticking' out and pulsing as the poison flowed through. He saw my fangs and muscles, he almost decided to kill me, but he knew a way he can keep me alive. He pulled me toward the door which was covered with the bright sunshine from the sun rising. He nearly was dragging me, because it hurt more while I was moving, and it burnt more when he put me in the sunshine to let me burn the poison off my inside and blood. But I almost died from that. Because the poison flows fast through out the body. But its still there to this day, but I live in the light and darkness of my being. 

"But I bet you any money that you would die, because you are just a weak human. That poison was already through out my body, I thought I was dying. But I live to this day because thanks to my mother and father with the healing power and all the other powers that I needed." I smiled a bright smile because I felt smarter than him. Technically I was. And my smile just got bigger. 

"So how did Uncle Louie slay these things on his own?" Amusement kept on crawling through his voice.

"Well, he did this all through his life, so it wasn't a problem, its just he kind of got used to the help I gave him. But he was alright."

"What happened when you were getting burned from this disease?"

"Well he fought them, and he grabbed me, and took me to the home I knew then. He examined the bite and said I would have to take the medicine that he working on for half vampires and half humans. It would take the hunger of blood away. So it worked. Only every five or ten years I need blood."

"But we kept you for eleven years. How did you get your blood?"

"Well I've been hungry for something for a while now, and that's what I'm probably hungry for. But I can't otherwise you would kill me, but I lasted this long. I can wait longer. But did you know you have a rat problem here? I've been getting rid of the ones that come into my room; you might find them beneath my bed. Oh, without blood." I got up and left him sit there dismayed. He turned off the tape recorder that started this horrible story.

1

There I sat on my bed, feeling isolation as always, but I got used to it over the years. But the hunger for blood was growing. I had to drink rat's blood for over a week now. It was not my favor to drink it. I always tried to stay away from drinking animal's blood.

I also been wondering when Lydecker would be back, but I couldn't tell. He was to far away, I couldn't find him. If only I had Cerebro (if the professor would let me.) The professor most likely could find him, but I didn't have access to him, otherwise I would. 

I heard footsteps coming down my hall. My blood pumped, hoping that it would come to me, so I can suck the blood. But yet I hoped it wouldn't. I always have these arguments inside my head whenever I need blood. Oh, how I've been longing to get blood. To regenerate me, to power me, to get me stronger and ready. The door opened and I hid in the shadows, waiting for my prey. The cold vampire blood flowed through me, making me its slave.

2

"Maxe Guevara?" Someone called. I jumped on one of the body guards that were surrounded all over this place. I reached his neck ready to bite. But then he ripped me off his back. Slamming me to the floor, also coming to my senses.

"What the hell were you trying to do?" He shouted.

"I need blood." I said tiredly. I passed out on the green tiled floor. I needed blood bad. My own was evaporating, and I needed fresh blood from a person now, a healthy person, or soon I would die, from the lack of blood or something much worse would happen.

He just kept on staring at me with uncertainly. He went over and checked underneath the bed. He was surprised. She was telling the truth.

3

"What happened is I opened the door, and she jumped on me. Hissing like a snake but right in my ear. She was reaching at my neck as if to bite there. But when I threw her off, she felt as she weighed only eighty pounds at most. Like if she was weakening. And she was really pale. Pale as a piece of paper." Said Travis Mankey. Greg looked at him stupidly.

"Are you making this up, or are you serious?" Greg asked. Looking through the one way mirror that you could see Maxe Guevara in the other room. "Did you check underneath the bed?" Never taking his off Maxe. Watching the people examining her. When Travis spoke he turned to him.

"I'm serious. When she looked up at me, she was pale as paper, and struggling just to look up. The bloodless rats were there like she said sir." 

"Thanks. That would be all." He left and watched Maxe and the others.

4

I awoke when they were still studying me, but I didn't move an inch. I smelled the air and smelled sweat and fear. It smelled like gas, filling up the whole room with the stink, but I also smelled blood. I was trying not to give in, but I did. The cold vampire blood still flowed through me.

I sat upright really fast and took a bite through flesh, and the blood tasted wonderful. So sweet and sour at the same time. I was favoring it right then and there. I couldn't stop, it tasted that good. I heard screams, but most of the entire time with the person I was drinking. The grunting and panting just gave me more pleasure of this more, I just sucked harder and he fell limp in my arms. Dead.

5

He couldn't believe what he was seeing. The Maxe he knew that cared was sucking on one of the doctor's neck. Kind of like a leech that wouldn't come off. He pressed the button for security, and the radio came on. 

"Sir, what is the problem?" Asked the radio.

"Room G504. I need help." Replying into the radio.

"Sir, what is the matter?"

"It hard to explain, now get over here!" He was nearly screaming. What he was seeing was unbelievable. It would haunt his dreams for the rest of his life. 

6

Lydecker was coming down the hallway when some soldiers run past him. He felt danger ahead, and he knew it had to do with Maxe. The lost transgenic. He started to run to where they were running to. But then he stopped, he got the feeling to stay here. As if she was speaking to him. So he stayed.

7

The taste was gone, but the blood itself was powering me up. I let go of the dead man's body and it fell clumsily to the floor. I took the knife that was lying on the table and cut the new vampire's head off. Born and died in both worlds. Must have sucked. I smiled from the thought. But I looked around saw people that were examining me a little earlier. 




Secrets Hidden Within Pt. 02



"Sorry, but that was all that I needed." My hearing was more acute than usual. My instincts said to me, it was time. Time to get the hell out of this place. I wiped of the blood that was dripping off my chin.

I heard heavy footsteps. Yeah, it was time. I jumped through the one way mirror, and fell on Greg. "Well, look what we have here." I said to him, while grabbing his shirt collar. I was being a smartass also. At this time and place. He had fear all over him. "Since you don't believe in vampires, you are going have to pay."

"Please, don't kill me." He said blubbering through tears. He saw cold hearted eyes. Blood red eyes.

"You'll only be the living dead." I opened my mouth wide and bit him on the neck. I heard him shrieking from the pain. And again blood filled through my mouth. Then I stopped, to let him suffer the pain I had once gone through. I dropped him, and he just screamed from the pain flowing all through his body. I left him suffering. While I walked away I changed into a different form. I changed into a pretty nurse named Stacy Renolds.

I walked in the endless hallway looking for the control center. But I kept on hearing the guards and soldiers. So I went into my invisible mode. A couple guards went past me. I was afraid they were going to touch me so I had to crawl on the ceiling like Spider-man. So I crawled on the ceiling for about hours it seemed, but then I saw Lydecker. Boy, I was glad to see him.

I jumped down to face him, but didn't say anything yet. He looked around as if he heard something. "I'm right in front of you." He took a step backward, just to go sprawling, but caught his balance. 

"You're stronger than you seem..." Obviously forgetting my name.

"Maxe." I reminded him.

"Right Maxe."

"Let's go to the control center." I grabbed his arm and he walked with me. 

"Can you please turn visible, because I just can't do this with you like that?" I turned visible. And he just stared at me in disbelief.

"Yeah, I know I'm very strong with my powers, but you got to get used to that I have powers."

"I know that, it's just that you are incredible, doing all this shit."

"Well thanks." Not giving any gratitude. "Do you happen to know were the control center is?

"Wait." I stopped and saw my vision.

Me and Lydecker talking somewhere and soldiers go around a corner and shoot Lydecker dead. 

I screamed at them. And I ran at them.

They kept on shooting but I wouldn't die.

I extended my claws.

I reached and fought them, and smashed them through the wall with vampire strength.

They fell from the building and I heard a splash when they hit the river.

Other soldiers round the corner where I and Lydecker stood. I jumped into the river. And felt coldness.

The vision ended, while I coughed on a little water from the vision. After my cough fit was done I looked at Lydecker. 

"We got to get out of here." And saw this was the scene that it would happen. "Oh shit." I grabbed his hand and changed us both invisible. And I jumped up and dragged him up on the ceiling. I heard his arm pull out of his socket with a sick pop. 

"Ah." He said with pain in his voice.

"Sorry, it's better than dying."

"What the hell..."

"Shh!" I talked in his mind. Be quiet dipshit, or do you want to die? And talk in your mind, do you hear me?

Yes. Holyshit. I'm talking in a person's mind. What the hell do you mean, 'better than dying?'

I have visions and I just had one and you died, and my mission would fail.

What mission?

My plans on what to do.

Oh. What are they?

Get to the control center, put a virus in it, and shut down the building. And get the hell out of here. Then you and I go to a safe place and you tell me the rest about this so called 'Manticore' and my parents.

Good plan. He didn't say anything else for the rest of the night. 

We waited until the soldiers went past. We waited a bit more and crawled on the ceiling. We found the control center by rounding a couple of turns. We went in and I planted the virus. But the hard part was to stay on the ceiling, because of security reasons.

So I went down to the main computer controls. I started putting it in. Almost done. 

How do you remember all those numbers?

Well I put it into a song and put it locked up in my memory warehouse. And I never forget a song.

I ignored him; put the rest of the numbers in and the files immediately were screwing up. And then all of the computers went blank and the electricity went out of the building. And Lydecker and I were covered in total darkness. I waited for my eyes to adjust and I was ready to go. But still it was hard to see so I put my heat vision on. So the room turned bright red. The machines were a pinkish yet green color. Lydecker crawled toward me blindly. I sighed. I touched him and some power drained from me. He shuddered. 

If you are wondering what I just did, I gave you another power.

How many did you give me?

They end up wearing off. What I gave at first was Invisibility, then No Gravity, that one is fun, and now Heat Vision. The No Gravity is one you can walk on anything. Upside down, downside up, sideways, with this power you can walk up walls.

Damn.

Yeah it's cool.

For the rest of the night we argued and fought in your minds. And guards past us, trying to find out what was wrong with the power. So we crawled on the ceiling searching for a way out.

We were arguing until we hit a wall. Wait to go dipshit!

It wasn't my fault! And I thought you had great sight! Jeezz! I guess we did need to put that sight potion in your genes.

What? Starting to giggle. You mean to tell me, that you guys put good sight in my genes, while my parents are the greatest mutants in the world and . . . I started to laugh out loud. You guys must have been stupid. I breathed a heavy sigh. And shook my head with disgust.

I looked at the wall that we hit, and saw it led to a corner, and what I saw in that corner put a smile on my face. But yet, made me disappointed. Thirteen bars of lasers covered the exit. And I thought I cut the power. They must have been generated. And I realized that he was listening to my thoughts. I hate other mutants that have that power.

Instead of swerving, please, so got any other ideas? He asked.

Well I'm thinking. Pause. I'm going have to teach you another power.

Which one? He asked with fascination in his vocie.

Flying. With disappointment on my face. It's harder than you think. Especially with that. I pointed to the lasers. I was thinking of other ways to get past, but couldn't think of any. And to make it harder, its touch sensible. What it means is that you can only stay there for only, for usual ones, about 3.5 seconds. But the usual ones are only in banks and crap.

Don't you have an ability to go through walls like ghosts?

Holyshit! I must have forgotten them. Well, I haven't used them for a while but it sounds like a good idea, but I don't want to risk it.

Like we have any other choices?

Good point.

So I turned on my ghost power and flying power. I didn't want to take a chance. And I started toward the exit. I hated these kinds of moments. Everything is depending on you, heart thudding as if everybody can hear, and knowing that you'll screw up, and badly screw up.

But the first bar on the left was past and so was the second in the middle.

Then the third in the middle, and fourth on the right.

Fifth one past which was up top.

Sixth on bottom.

And a couple as in a checkered style. I was scared as shit, if I hit this, bye, bye to me! But it went easy. No going off, no stamps of feet. But I kept going.

I was almost there. Three more bars left. So I closed my eyes, and expecting to hit a steel door. But what I felt was in between rock and human flesh. I snapped my eyes opened and what I saw terrified me. It was a new vampire, the living dead, Greg. 

What he did was and all too familiar to me, but it was happening to me. I felt the hands tighten on my neck when I tried to breath. Well, same situation as my mom had, but different times and places, and not the same fate.

"Why did you leave me to die? I was the one that was closest of being a friend." He asked with coldness, hatred, anger. He loosened his grip. I saw his eyes and they were a deadly light blue.

"I thought you wanted to know what was is it like to be a vampire." It was only a whisper.

"Guess what, I like it, but yet I hate it at the same time."

"What would happen if I could take it back?"

"Don't take it back! I feel so much power, I like that kind of feeling. Not the feeling of being a no body." He yelled at me at first but, he was now calmer.

"So are you going to kill me?" My voice was getting hoarse. I needed more air.

"No, but I need blood." His eyes were pleading for it.

"So you want mine?"

"Can I? Please, know I see why you needed it so bad." It looked like if he was going to cry. His lips wobbled as if to sob.

"I guess." He released me. "Lydecker, wait a minute." I turned away from him and tugged on some wires above the door. I turned toward Lydecker. "After he sucks my blood, I will be weak, so you have to carry me."

"What? Are you nuts?" He asked as if I was crazy.

"I meant what I said." I turned back to Greg. "For a friend, but you will have to stay my friend. Promise?" I took out my hand to shake his. 

He took his hand and put it in mine. "I promise."

"I got to tell you, you got to watch out. Stay away from bright light, suck only when you need, and don't get caught." My face was serious.

"I will be fine." 

"Alright. Let's get this done." And I pulled back my black turtle neck to show my neck. And he bit, he bit down hard. I've never been bit by a vampire for a long time. But now it felt so good, it felt like sex. The passion, glory, pleasure, and the heat. For a moment or two I was seeing me and my husband. But then it was over in a blink of an eye. 

I fell back into Lydecker's arms. And saw that Greg grew a few inches and more muscle, and he looked hot to. That's what you get for being a vampire. 

"Maxe are you okay? Maxe?"

"I'm fine." But my voice sounded like a croak. I felt like I've been drained of life. 

"I will help you guys get out of here." Greg said. Greg took me in his arms. I was so weak that I couldn't even stand. And immediately I fell asleep. And a dreamless sleep at that.

To top it all off, Greg and Lydecker was scared. Scared that I would never wake up. And Lydecker blamed himself for it, but it wasn't his fault.

8

I awoke in the morning in a hotel room. Dim light shining through the window, it must be sunrise. Lydecker and Greg were sitting in chairs across from me on my right. Lydecker was sleeping, but Greg wasn't. 



"Here." He handed me the tape recorder. Do the rest of your life story for me. But you don't have to finish it now. Just on your own time. And when you are finished mail it to me."

"Greg!" Saying it with apprentice. "You actually care about me and my life. Wow. I'm astonished. You know, when I told my story to people, they never wanted to hear it again. But you are different."

"Well, you changed me." I smiled. Nobody really cared for me in my life except my family, but other than that, nobody, until now. I reached over to him and gave him a hug.

"What was that for?"

"Nobody really cared for me except my family, until now." I was close to tears. I had a true friend. I never had one before. And then he hugged me back. I felt the tears stinging the back of my nose but I would not let them fall.

Suddenly we heard sirens from police cars. "Oh, shit!" I whispered. I let go and tried to wake Lydecker. "How long has he been a sleep?"

"Since two thirty in the morning. Do you know him? Because it seems that he actually cares about you?"

"Well, he knew my parents and my past so he's the key to my past and I need him." I turned back to Lydecker. "Lydecker! Lydecker! Wake up!"

"Huh! What time is it?" He said in a sleepy voice.

"It's time to get off your ass and wake the hell up! If you want to get killed, stay! But if you want to live, get off your ass!" Now he was awake, paying attention, and alert. "It's five o'clock. Now get off your scrawny little ass!" And I dragged him to the door. The sirens were getting closer and we needed a plan.

"Any plans?" Greg asked.

"I'm thinking. Question? Why don't you guys have accents?"

"I thought you were trying to make up a plan!" Lydecker shouted, sounding like he was already in panic.

"Talking makes me calmer and it's the best way I can make a plan. Now answer the damn question!"

"I'm not from here!" Lydecker practically screamed.

"You just had to say it not spray it." I said back. I had more ideas now.

"Well, you are a soldier. You are supposed to think around corners. I thought we taught better!"

"Hey, remember, I ran away with my parents! Huh?" Now he was silent.

"For me, it's because I only work here in the summer time, and I don't talk to people here!" Said Greg. I noticed he was calm.

"Alright, I think I got a plan! We have to split up though. I'll stay in Africa for a while until it cools down here. Where are we anyway?"

"Europe. And go on." One of them said behind me.

"If you don't hear from me in a year or two, I'm either dead or I left and forgot. On the count of three we take off out the door. One. . . Two . . . Three." And we were off!

9

Zack saw them run from the motel room and told the cars to split up. So he and Rocky Davis were going to handle the girl. So he pushed on the gas petal and followed the girl. And damn, she did run. She must have been a runner because she ran as fast as a bullet.

She ran the down the corner alley which was a dead end so it would be easy with her. Or so he thought. He stopped the police car at the corner of the alley, and saw that Rocky pulled up be side him. They all slowly got out of their cars and went to the mouth of the alley with their guns drawn. And they saw nothing. Just a bunch of cans of garbage and a brick wall. 

"Where'd she go?" Rocky said confused.

"She must have gone some where." Matt his partner said.

"Come out with your hands up!" Travis called in the alley. But nothing came, except a little skinny, black cat. It came out of a trash can and went to the next one, not caring of them. Just searching for food. After sniffing around that garbage can, it looked up, and finally noticed them. It meowed. Zack felt the cat's eyes pleading for mercy and felt to give it food. Zack felt bad for it. And then he remembered he kept half of his tuna sandwich from the night.

"Where the hell did the cat come from?" Matt said.

"Must have been in the trash can. But where did the girl go? She couldn't have disappeared." Travis said.

"Maybe she's a mutant and changed into the cat." Rocky said jokingly.

"Maybe." They all had withdrawn their guns by now. But Zack turned away and headed for the car and opened the door and got the sandwich, and headed back. He crouched down and started calling the kitty.

"Here kitty-kitty." He did whispering noises to get the cat's attention. And apparently it did. It looked up as soon as he shut the car door. Must have smelled the food.

10

I tried to look like a busy kitty, but of course they didn't buy it! And the smell of the tuna interrupted my own rudeness. I didn't think about food now. But now a wave of desire for food swept over me. I told myself to stay where I was, but my feet didn't obey. I walked over to the guy that was going to hand me the tuna.

I stopped in front of it, sniffed it to make sure it smelled okay, and started to eat. It tasted so good, that I was ravenous. I was startled when he began to actually pet me. I took a cautious step back, but I was more hungry than worried right now. So I let him pet me while I ate. I polished off the sandwich and hoping there was more, but there wasn't, and I knew it. But I meowed for more.

"I'm sorry kitty, but I don't have no more." Still petting me. It felt so good that I rolled over like a dog would. And he pets me there too. It felt good. Getting rubbed by a guy again. While I was thinking this I was reminded about my husband, Logan. Shit!

"You want to come home with me?" He asked. I meowed in approval. 

"Aren't you superstitious?" Rocky said.

"No, not a bit." Zack said while picking me up. I was in his arms now and being carried to the police car. I was so used to being in a police car that I didn't mind. I lay in the back seat of the car until his shift of work is done. He shut the door and walked to the driver's seat and got in. 

"You guys coming? She obviously not here. And if she did hop over the brick wall we already missed her." He said this and the guys got in the cars. And they did there work until they got off.

I stayed in his car and slept, for i was exhausted. 



Secrets Hidden Within Pt. 03



Chapter 7 

Hauntings from the Past

I awoke by a fire in a dimly lit living room and I felt rested and relived. I stretched and yawned and heard feet coming this way. I ran and hid behind one of the chairs. And then I remembered that I was a cat and a guy owned me. Great situation I got myself in to. I saw my new master's feet and came out and meowed. 

"Hi kitty." He answered. "I am going have to name you something since you're my cat now. How do you like Gretchen?" I faked a sneeze for a no. "No. How 'bout Midnight?" I yawned at that one. "No." He sighed a deep sigh. "How 'bout . . . Max?" I put my head down then up and meowed in an approval. Even though I put the thought in his head. "Alright your name is Max. Kind of like that criminal woman over in the US. You and she are The Max!" He did a little chuckle. Oh he knows who I am. How? And how does he know about me? That is something I got to find out before I go.

"So what are you up to Max? Are you hungry?" He asked and I meowed. "Alright, follow me." And I did, and he got me tuna. Not my favorite, but I didn't complain. I ate up willingly. While I was chowing down on that he left me to my dinner. When I was done, I started exploring my surroundings. 

Looked like he got a cabin of his own out in the woods, but by himself. What bothered me the most was why was he alone? Why didn't he have a wife? He seems reasonably fine. I thought he had good features and sounds like he has a good personality. He has dirty blond hair, and green eyes. His eyes were strange to me. They were like a cats', knowing, dangerous, good-hearted, and serious. He was a mystery to me, and my curiosity stuck root. I was going to figure this guy before I go.

Another mystery was that he barely used electricity. He had a TV, but that was like the only thing that was running. I guess it was run on a generator. Otherwise he lit candles for lights. Talk about old fashion.

Other than him and his house he had a normal life. At least I think. 

1

After a week being in his mystery house, he was all right. I mean he talks to me, he watches TV, he chops wood, and he hunts. And I realized that he wants to go back in the past and change his life or stay in the past. 

One day we were walking in his woods and talking (him doing all the talking) when I heard a stick break behind us. It sounded like somebody was following us. And my intuition said something was coming, and that something was bad. They needed to get the hell out of here and fast. I did an annoying meow to tell him.

"What's the matter girl?" The sound was getting closer. He just waited. I didn't want to do this, but I had to save this guy's life. I spoke.

"If you want to live come with me."

"Max?" He looked at me with wide eyes.

"There is no time to explain. But we got to get out of here, unless you want to die." I said serious and calmly.

"I'm speaking to a cat."

"If I was a human right now I would have a bad expression on my face that you would not like!"

"Then why don't you?"

"Damn you! We're already wasted time and I just took a risk. And fine I will." My temper was rising inside me like acid. I transformed into my regular shape and form. I still had my cat's eyes but didn't have the body no more. I was in the clothes I wore when I escaped him and his friends. Man they were dirty. 

"You're the wo. . ." I interrupted.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm the Maxe that is over in the USA too. Now bug off. I'm trying to save your ass! Get down!" I pulled him to the ground and a dart struck a tree, where his neck would be. "Stay down and stay low! I'm going to give you one of my powers which are invisibility. It will ware off, but right now, you need it." I grabbed his hand and concentrated. I felt the energy leave and decided it was enough. "There."

"You're pale."

"Well that's what happens when I drain myself."

"And all this time you were my pet cak. . . "

"Shh!" A man walked out of the bushes and into view. And he looked military. Great, what did I get myself into? He had a dart gun too. How am I to get out of this problem? 

'Talk with your thoughts.' I said.

'We can do that too?'

'Yep. I'm just talking in your head, not in mine. I'm just reading your thought, that's all. I'm just speaking to you in your head. I know it sounds unbelievable, and I don't care if you believe me or not, but it's true.'

'Sounds complicated.'

'It is.'

The guy looked around for a minute and then he looked straight at them. But I guess he didn't see us because he kept on walking. It looked like he was looking for something or maybe somebody.

'I think it's safe.' He thought.

'I never think it's safe. That's what keeps me alive today. Otherwise I would not be here saving your life. I would be dead if I didn't think that.' I smiled at him even though he couldn't see it. And I realized that he couldn't see me. Great I had to give him another power just so he can see me! I sighed and shook my head. I touched him and gave him heat vision.

'What did you just do?'

'I gave you another power.'

'It looks like heat vision, because now I can see you.'

'Exactly.'

'It looks like you need blood.'

'Well, I probably do. Since I gave you two powers and earlier I've been drained in the week. I hadn't sucked blood for eleven years, and just sucked blood in the week. But that has been drained from me, from the very person I sucked it out of. And that person needed it more than I did. And now I need it bad, or I'll pass out because I need blood. Question? Want to turn in to a vampire?' I chuckled. Even though I was serious. I might as well kill the person and suck him dry for blood. 

'Are you serious?'

'Never mind. I'll just suck him dry.' I rolled my eyes. I got up and went into my stealth mode. In this mode I'm so quiet, nobody can hear me. I'm like an animal sneaking up on one. I was behind him now. I was planning a little surprise for him. And it worked. I got out of my invisibility power and tapped him on the shoulder. He didn't have a chance.

2

Jack Moonkraft searched everywhere for Zack Anderson. He had his orders: bring Zack Anderson alive. But if he didn't come back with him, he might as well shoot himself. He had to find him. So he started to look in the woods.

He was half way in the woods when he started to hear voices. It sounded like Zack and a woman. He considered this strange because he heard his wife had died and didn't date any more. He also heard that he had a mental breakdown when his wife died, and just gave up. Poor guy. But he followed where the voices were and heard the conversation. The woman said 'If you want to live come with me.' He thought this was even stranger.

He fired a shot but missed. The dart stuck into a tree, which was behind Zack. But then he stepped in the clearing and so no one. But then he heard something and looked that way, but saw nothing. He started the other way when something tapped on his shoulder. He turned around and saw a woman fall on top of him and bites his neck. He screamed.

He felt the energy and blood slipping away from him. And he felt the awful pain all over his body. It felt like scapulas were everywhere on his body. 

He felt the woman drinking his blood and she liked it! She liked it! She stopped when he only had an inch of life left. He felt her strong hands hold him upright. He looked into her eyes and saw they were blood red. She looked like a very dangerous animal that shouldn't be messed with. But that animal has been messed with and is going to kill whatever is in its path. But once he saw her fangs he passed out and was beginning to turn into a vampire.

3

He awoke to a pain in the neck, and also felt weakened badly. The ropes were digging into his skin on his wrist. He tried to twist them but felt warm blood going down his hands. Probably his last. But then he saw a shadow had fell on him. He looked up and saw the woman that bitten him. He had to bite down his lip just to keep out a shriek.

He looked at her before but now, she looked more deadly than ever. Red-bluish eyes. They kept changing into different colors. She kept on grinning, to let him know that she still had fangs. But he kept on looking at her eyes. They were hypnotizing him. Just glowing in the darkness, like a predator's. She had her arms crossed beneath her breasts, looking like a hotshot. 

"Who are you?" Bringing out of his daze. Her voice was beautiful, and yet so dangerous. 

"The question is, 'who are you?'" He asked back. He tried not to let her know that he was terrified. His voice sounded fake to his own ears, how could she think he was terrified.

"Answer me first and maybe I'll tell you." Her voice was low and soft, and yet so deadly. He practically got a hard-on from this voice of hers.

"Jack Moonkraft. I'm from the government." He was going to say more but she cut him off.

"All I asked was your name. And let me guess, Manticore. Right?" Still speaking low, as if to whisper. But it was only one notch more than a whisper. But still, he can hear her perfect.

He was speechless. How did she know about Manticore? It was a secret government agency. Even the President of the United States doesn't know. "How do you know about Manticore? Who are you?" He changed his tone at the end of the question.

"Let's say I'm one of their projects that flew the coop. But you may want to call it, running away." The only person that escaped from Manticore was Adam Guevara (X5843) and his daughter. But then he realized that she was her. The lost project (X5454).

"X5454?" He couldn't believe it. It was the missing link that they needed. White only said to bring back a soldier, but he can bring that and the missing link.

"Who do you think it is? Yes, if that's what you want to call me. But I like the name Maxe. The one that my father and mother gave me. The E is silent." She grinned at the thought. 

4

"What do you want with Zack?" I asked him. I thought he could start by how he knew me, but that can wait.

"X7937?"

"Whatever." I was getting tired of these number names.

"I was supposed to bring him back, dead or alive."

"Oh. So he's a soldier? And how can you tell if they are soldiers of yours?" I was interested in the subject. I can maybe tell if I really was a soldier of theirs.

"Yes, he's a soldier. How you can tell is that there is a barcode on your neck."

"Au-huh." I was thinking about my past, trying to remember if any of my friends saying about my neck. And I do recall an incident with Original Cindy A.K.A. Boo. 

"Did you get a tattoo?" Boo asked.

"No, why?"

"There are lines on the back of your neck, girl. Kind of like a barcode on a box or something." Looking confused and the back of my neck.

"Where is it?" Looking as if I didn't understand.

"At the base of your neck. Almost at the hairline." Now lifting up my hair.

"Whatever." Right now I thought she was high or something.

Then there came another incident with Logan.

Our first make out session. He was kissing my neck and looked at me weird. 

"What's wrong?" I asked dreamily. Breathing heavily too.

"There's something on the back of your neck."

"What?" It was kind of waking up to a dream. 

"There are lines or something." He looked at me with a confused look.

"What's the matter with my neck?" Asking defensively.

"Nothing it's just, there's something there."

"What is it?" I asked more calmly. Lifting up my hair. He looked at it more closely.

"Looks like a barcode?" He looked at me questionly.

"I don't know." I looked back at him trying to think. "Just leave me alone. I knew I should never trust you!" We were like fighters at the time. And to make matters worse I was in heat, because I have cat DNA in me. It was the kinds of type of people. We were the kind that we were fighters or lovers with each other. It was like one or the other.

At the time, we knew each other, but we always threw insults and crap at each other. But today I was in heat, and I met him and we started fighting. But then I couldn't take it no more so I kissed him and he kissed me back. And we got into the moment. 

"Are you okay?" Jack booming voice brought me back to the present. "It looked like you were dreaming?"

"I hate you!" I said in a low but hateful voice. And I wondered myself of what I said.

"What did I do?"

"You killed my father!" I realized that with dawning horror. I was looking in his mind for something useful, and then I found myself in people that he killed and found my father's. I started to feel tears stinging the back of my eyes. I tried not to make then fall, but they did.

"What? I killed lots of people."

"But you killed my father!" I shouted this, and he looked like as if I slapped him. "You were assigned to track him down and kill him! You bastard!!!" I shouted at him. I was coming after him to kill the rest of him when Zack stepped in.

"Get out of my way!" I shouted and tried to push, but he stayed put.

"NO! I won't let you kill him. I need to know more!" He said firmly.

"BUT HE KILLED MY FATHER!" I screamed! I was crying now. "He killed my father." Shapes blurred my vision but I still wanted to grab the man and punch the living shit out of this man! But I knew Zack and I would need him. I stood my ground and then turned and stormed off. 

I stumbled into the bathroom and locked the door. I sat there in the darkness for I don't know how long. I tried not to listen to them. I tried to go back into my mind to find my father. To remember the face of my father and found it. And I prayed to him, and I cried and mumbled a prayer. But I cried and tried to listen for his voice but it didn't come. 

I finally stopped my crying and went to my thoughts. And then my father's voice came to me. He said it was ka. The wind is like ka. Ka is your destiny; Ka is what is to happen in your life. You are not to change it. He always followed ka. And sometimes I would joke about ka. Like saying ka is kaka. Like saying life is unfair. And I would smile, but he would give me a frown, but then a smile. But he was right. 

This is my ka. It's supposed to happen. Ka is kaka. And I smiled at the thought. My head hurt from thinking too hard and from the amount crying I had done.

"Oww." I said slowly as if to joke-hurt. I smiled and thanked my father. I got up and felt lightheaded. I didn't turn the light on, because right now, I was sensitive to light, especially when you're a vampire. So I stepped out of the bathroom and came back to Zack and Jack. And thought, Hey that rhymed! I grinned.

I came toward Zack and Jack. And slowly Zack got up. 

"Don't . . ."

"I won't. I now have control of myself." I smiled. Then I turned toward Jack. Zack was just about to untie him. Not a good idea. But then I punched him out-cold. 

"That's from father." I spoke low to him, even though he couldn't hear me. I turned back to Zack. Still speaking low. "I'm done with him. Nothing more to say!" And I stormed off once again. I left him wide eyed.

"And don't untie him!" I shouted back, but didn't turn to meet his eyes.

5

She stormed off to the bathroom, clearly upset. But he had his owns thoughts twisting inside his head.

She left him with the man that tried to take or kill him, but he needed answers from this man. He felt he didn't belong here right now. Even in his own home. With a soldier that tried to kill him, where he used to work, and also got a lady that can turn into a cat, that's a vampire, and has other fucking powers. He needed a fucking break in his life! First it was his wife (died from a car crash), then his own kid (died from a drunk driver), quitting his job because he had depression, then to top it all off, a cat that is a lady, but the lady is a vampire and tried to kill somebody that was trying to kill you! Isn't my life beautiful? He thought. 

He looked at the man, which claims to be Jack Moonkraft. He was in the cult with Ames White. He heard that they were all dickheads, and it seemed to be true. Was it true that he killed her father? It probably was, because they were trained to be killers. 

But was she the missing link to their research? But that had been almost fifty years ago. How old is she? He wondered. She only looks like her late twenties. But she's a mutant, but how?

"Question? When are you going to ask me questions?" Looking at him wondering.

"Yeah, you're a dick!" He grinned. He pulled up a chair and sat and started to ask him questions.

After two long hours later of waiting and asking mad questions, Maxe came out. It took her long enough. She looked older, as if she aged within minutes. She walked slowly, just to maintain her balance, as if she was lightheaded.

He got up, because he saw the determination in her eyes.

"Don't. . ." He was about to say more, but she cut him off. He thought she would turn him in a bunch of rags, just by punching and kicking the shit out of him. But what she said was true.

"I won't. I now have control of myself." She smiled one of her devilish grins that made him shudder. He reached down and was just about to untie him, to let him go. She did a full swing and hit him squarely on the chin. And he went out! I only stared at her. As if, what you do that for? Kind of look. 

But then she mumbled something and turned back to him. "I'm done with him. Nothing more to say." And it was the truth. And she walked her graceful way of hers again. "And don't untie him!" She shouted back. And he didn't, and it might have saved his life once again.

6

"Okay, let's try this again." Keeping my voice low and deadly. That's the only way to get the truth out of fearless people. Got to keep them scared and off their feet. "What am I? And why?"

"What you are is a super-human."

"Okay. That means another word for mutant. Or freak, if you want to go people wise."

"What you really are . . ." He struggled to find the words. "A highly-genetic soldier. I guess I could put it that way. We made you, and all the other transgenics."

"Wait!" Stopping him. "So what you call them or us, is transgenics? What the hell of a name is that? Don't answer that. But why?"

"Because it was the future and some were already made."

"Wait a minute." Cutting off him once more. "You mean there are more of us? Who were the ones that were already here and how long were they here?" I was shocked. I thought I was the only one. I thought that I and Dad were the only ones left. But no, he didn't tell me. 

"The ones were the eldest, but they didn't look like it. The eldest is two thousand years old. But he simply looks like in his forties. His name is Ames White. But there was one before him, his name was Sandman. He was anomaly. A failed experiment and didn't work right the way we wanted. He was the boss, until White was in charge. But then there were escapees. Not you and your father, but after that." He all said this with such calmness that it scared me.

"Who is this Ames White fellow?"

"He's the eldest. He's the boss. And he's a dick!" He said with an edge in his voice.

"Okay. Does the name Donald Lydecker sound familiar?"

"Yes. He was in the group that helps train the kids. He's quite good."

"How long have you had him?" 

"He was one of the children that we taught. But he's. . . "Thinking of how long he was there. "I'd say about seven hundred years now."

"Damn. He's that old?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I recently bumped into him."

"He disappeared from the area, but he does that sometimes. But this time he knew something, and he didn't tell White. I was trying to sneak up on him, but I lost him."

"Is any of you guys, you know, soldiers, looking for me?"

"Well actually yes. White has been trying to track down the escapees and kill them. But recently he read your report and decided to come get you to."

"Why is he interested in me?"




Secrets Hidden Within Pt. 03



"Well, he thinks it's dangerous if we have our soldiers running around in the country. You, transgenics, are made to kill. But he also wants to find out, what's different in you, than the others."

"Oh. Yeah he does sound like he's a dick." I grinned at that. I was thinking of what kind of other questions to ask. "What about the other transgenics? Like are they different, or something?"

"Yes they are. What you are is an X5. There are different levels of you guys. Like X8's and X9's. They all do different things, kind of like different powers. But you are different because you got every kind of powers they have. But your clones have separate powers. I don't know why, but you're one of a kind. Literary."

"Clones? You guys got clones?"

"Yeah. Just in case. Like a back-up. Like if you died in training, we would make your clone."

"Wow. You guys are really secret. Does the president know about all this?"

"No, we are waiting until the country actually needs are soldiers, kind of like desperate measures."

"Like back-up." I smiled. The more I knew about this, the more it scared me. "But why? Why do you make these, transgenics?" 

"I simply don't know. We just do I guess."

"Alright moving on. What did you know about my father?"

"Well I read his report, and carried out my mission. All I found out was that he was a good soldier, very intelligent, what more do you want me to know?"

"Like age and I don't know. Like any secrets that he would hide." Trying to be more descriptive but couldn't. I didn't know what I wanted to know on him.

"He was six hundred, I believe. He could be more, but it's around that area. And any secrets, he liked the outside world. He wanted to be an ordinary guy, but he wasn't, he realized he never will be."

"But then he did have an almost normal life, but you took that away from him!" I felt the tears coming again, but this time they didn't fall. "He finally had a family. But you just had to have your special mutant! Wait minute, you forgot about me!" I was getting angrier at the minute. My voice was getting louder in the process.

"I did what I was told." He said firmly. "But that day, I felt something was wrong so I didn't get you."

"Oh, you and your guys missions. Bullshit! Didn't you guys have a heart or even a life? You could have made your own decisions! If White said to go jump off a cliff, would you do it?"

"I wo . . ."

"Bullshit! If you guys had real courage, you would say fuck you. If you want it done, do it yourself! You guys don't have a heart or a life. Someone else has to make your decisions! That's bull! Thank God that I got out of that place! I would be a mindless zombie. I wanted a little more in life, but I didn't get it. You guys would just be happy, just to live off the streets! But me, I had a life! It may have sucked, but I had my moments! You guys wouldn't have survived my life! No way! I had to make my own decisions, my ways; otherwise I would be dead right now." I smiled. I think I got through to him, but I just wanted him to think about it. I only stared at him, but he didn't answer.

"Think about it. And you know I'm right. I don't think I need to know more. I got it figured out." But I stared at him a moment longer and then I walked away. Hoping that I got through to him.

7

She made sense, but he was a soldier. He had to do what he was told, but she was right. They were all mindless zombies. They were taught to be that way. But why? That's a good question, which he can never answer. He didn't know it himself. Her fate wasn't a concern for him either. But she was right again, they didn't have to listen to them, they could make their own decisions, they could probably over rule them even. There were so many of them. And they had probably stronger powers than the old ones. But the old one knows so much stuff that could probably kill them in an instant. 

8

"You think I got through to him?" I asked Zack. He just looked at me blankly.

"May I ask you a question?"

"Depends on what it is." I grinned. We were seated in his nice kitchen, talking about everything. It's nice now, because now I can talk to him back, instead of a cat's meow. "Alright, shoot. There's something on your mind, and I don't want to intrude on it."

"Okay, here it goes. Who are you? And what are you doing here?" 

"Oh, these questions. I hate these kinds of questions, but I must answer them. I always had these questions, and had to make a new identity."

"You don't have to."

"But I must. I think I now have myself figured out myself. I myself didn't know who I was. But I think now I know. But if you really want to know me, you got to hear my story." I walked out and got into my bag, and found the tape recorder. "Right now, I have a little of my story on this. But I'm adding to it. And now, you are listening to it." I flicked on the tape and the story started to spill out of the tape and into our ears to hear and be amazed.

It was done, and then I hit the record button and went on with the rest of my past.

"If you have any questions Zack Anderson about this story, just come out with it. 

"So we were vampire slayers and we killed vampires. Gruesome life style, isn't it?" I smiled from my sarcasm. "So that happened to me yes, and yes again for the pain. It was intense. I could have died if the poison got in any farther. So my uncle dragged me into the sun to kill the poison. So he killed the vampires and I lay screaming. Then the pain subsided and into a dull aching thud throughout my whole body. I felt powered yet, drained somehow. But I lived." Trying to sort out and understand these memories of the past into words. But all I kept thinking of was the pain. But I kept trying.

"I stood up and watched my uncle with awkwardness. I wanted to kill him and the vampires. But he was my uncle and I realized if I killed something it would mostly be my uncle. So there I stood like a drunk. Then it was all over, me almost wanting to pass out, but I couldn't. But then Uncle Louie came over to me, with terrifying eyes. It looked like he was going to kill me. But then he raised his sword and then a click, and all I remember is blackness. 

"I don't know what he put in me, but hell, it was strong. Like whiskey. Man, did I have a hangover. I didn't wake until three days after he knocked me out." I smiled at the memory.

"Did you ever find out what it was?" Zack asked.

I realized I was still with Zack. It felt like going into the past to me. But that's how memories come to me. They're like watching movies or reliving them. "Yeah, but I forgot what he called it. It was for vampires, that didn't have the power to go out in the sun and so they couldn't drink blood. It was a serum. I have no idea what was in it though. Any more questions?"

"Nope. Continue with your . . ." There was a shriek of pain in the other room. 

Great, he had to turn into a vampire now. Zack looked at me, and then there was fear in his eyes. Must have been the expression I gave, I thought. Quickly I turned off the tape, and hurried.

We hurried to the other room, and good thing I told him not to untie that rope. But then I froze with fear as I heard the rope snapping against the muscle they we have to fight against. And I knew it would be hard.

9

The pain came through once more and he couldn't hold the screams back no more. This poison has killed Jack Moonkraft and turned him into another one of the blood-suckers. He struggled with the ropes, but couldn't free himself. Every time he pulled, it got tighter. Every time his muscles tensed and breathed they got tighter. But then a surge of power came through his body. And he pulled, and it snapped. He felt no more blood. What had flowed before is not there no more.

He felt powered, relived, drained, and more acute senses. How he could smell, he could smell the people that were waiting to fight him in the next room as if they were in the oven baking like a turkey. He saw perfect, no more going to the eye doctor for checkups. He was fascinated with this new world that the missing link has brought him in. He smiled an evil smile. Bring on the bitches, he thought coldly. He had plans to do, and so much time to do them. He smiled greedily. He needed blood, so he'll suck dry 937 and 454. They'll be tasty with the powers they have. 

10

I walked in front of the door, shielding Zack for what was to come. 

"Oh boy." I gulped.

"You haven't fought with a vampire for a while have you?" I heard the tension in his voice.

"I hadn't fought in years. It was my Uncle's career. Why couldn't he be alive?" I said through my shaky voice. I stared at the beast in wonder to find out what were his weakest places. I didn't find any except vampire killing shit. 

"Have a butcher knife?" I asked. I heard my voice calm and serious.

"Yeah." He disappeared and I felt a handle pushing into my hand. I grabbed it while I was thinking quickly of what I had to do. But I didn't want to risk Zack's life again. But Zack is a good soldier; he can take care of himself. 

"Zack." Getting his attention.

"Huh." He looked dazed.

"I'm sorry, but you have to be a diversion. You're going to be bait while I take this sucker out." I gave him more orders in his head, of what I wanted him to do. Now I looked at him, to make sure he understood. He shook his head.

"No matter what happens, don't save me! I can take care of myself. Got it?" I was strict with my orders.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Good soldier. Ready?" I was in my strike pose. Jack was looking at me now. He had murder in his eyes. I smiled my devil grin and changed the knife to my good hand. If I want to do this right, I got to do it fast. Otherwise I'm dead meat running.

"Yeah, go." He ran away from me. Jack still kept his eyes on me. He just wanted me. Only me. But then my heart leaped, when Zack threw something at it. It was his chair that held him down. 

It struck him on the back. He turned Zack's way and I made my move. I jumped on his back. He screamed in frustration and struggled. I raised the knife and brought it down with a swift movement. Jack must have known, because he gripped the knife before it went in. He tore me off his back. 

I hit the floor hard enough to knock the wind out of me. I was dazed with the blackness that wanted to cloud over my eyes. But I pushed back. I heard Zack's voice as if we were in a canyon, and he was on the other side. But then the monster grabbed me by the shirt and brought me up to meet his eyes. I heard a rip. They were a deadly red, like every other vampire's. 

He was ready to bite me. But I would fight him to the end, and not get bit. I hated being bitten by a vampire. It sucks. 

"I don't think so bub!" I screamed and bit down on his arm. He screamed from the pain that shot through his arm. Biting another vampire does that to you. It hurts worse than turning into one.

His blood, tasted bitter and cold. It was vampire's blood, and vampire's blood tastes nasty. But I had to do it. He let go of me, but I bit down harder. He dropped the knife. That's what I needed. I bit down one last time and tore my mouth away. There was a piece of his arm in my mouth and it tasted nasty! 

"Ewe!" I spit the blood and the piece of the arm out. It decayed immediately when it struck the floor. I looked back at Jack and he had his hand over the place I bit him and he screamed and charged. I dived out of his reach and he struck the wall with a sick thud. He was unconscious, but I didn't know what time he'll get up. 

I pushed myself up off the floor and walked over to the butcher's knife that I was supposed to use but didn't. I bended over and picked it up. But then I felt and arm slip onto my throat and instantly I couldn't breathe. He had me in a headlock. I dropped my knife and was beating at the strong hands. My lungs were burning for air.

But then I remembered what my Uncle Louie taught to get out of the choke hold. I seized the thumb and yanked as hard as I could. It loosened but not much. I heard him cry out because of his broken thumb. He stepped back, wanting to lose my balance, but I kept it. I leaned over, and his arm loosened the hold on my neck. I got a suck of air, and it burned more, but then it tightened again. I stood, and then I brought my hands up and poked his eyes. He brought his arms up to shield them and I got out. 

I was gasping for breath. My lungs felt like they were on fire. But then I saw the knife glinting about five feet away from me. I scrambled to my feet and dived for it. He was feeling if his eyes were still there so I got him trapped this time.

"Maxe, do it!" Zack said from the doorway where he was watching this terrible scene.

I looked back at Jack, the vampire that is just about to die. He was walking like a drunk, and getting closer. I got up and started toward him. He rubbed his eyes one last time and looked at me. They were blood shot. I could see the little tiny veins in them. But then he came toward me, and knocked the knife out of my hand again. And just one I was just about to strike. I did a full blow toward him but he swung out of the air and caught mine. Then he started to turn it, as if to break it. Through all of this he was smiling his worst smile.

But I had other plans for this guy, than that little punch to the stomach. I smiled my devilish grin and his faded, as if to worry what I am thinking. But then I put my other hand on his shoulder and brought myself in and kicked him in the groin. And he did yowl. He let go and I darted for the knife. But then he pushed me out of nowhere. I stumbled but regained my balance. But then I saw the chair. I grabbed the head of it as if I were a lion tamer.

And so he tried to get me, but I wouldn't let him. Every time he came toward me, I shoved him back with the chair's leg. It looked like he was going to charge. That gave me an idea. He took a couple steps back and ran toward me. I thought he was a real idiot, because I was going to shove the leg up through his chest and into his heart. But unfortunately that didn't happen. He charged then jumped onto the chair. 

The weight was enormous. But I carried him while he tried to get me. There were beads of sweat coming onto my face.

"Jack!" Zack's voice. Jack looked at Zack and I saw a twitch in his smile muscle in his mouth. It was like a clock. Then I looked over to what he was seeing. Zack cut his hand and the blood was seeping through. He jumped off and walked toward Zack. It was as if he was hypnotized.

Maxe now!!! It was Zack. He threw a message toward me. I broke the chair's leg so now it was a stake. Jack heard the noise so he spun on his heels to glare at me.

"Your time is up in smoke just like you!" The hatred and coldness flowed all through me, just like in the old days. Hello darkness, my old friend. Then I put all my body weight into and shoved the stake through his chest and into his heart. 

He screamed, and then he was in flames and smoke. I stepped back because of the heat. And then he was gone. 

"Well, that was fun." I said. I stepped back when he turned into flame.

"Damn." Zack said from the doorway.

"Yeah, you can say that again."

"He got fired." As sarcasm set in, I started to laugh.

"Yeah he did." Finally stopping the laughter.

"So, that's what you had to do in the old days, huh?"

"Yeah. But we had all kinds of weapons. We made the stakes ourselves; we had guns, with pure silver in it. And we also had this cane that turned into a sword. We had shit-loads of things." I remembered what we used. "My favorite was the sword. My uncle said it was a thirteenth century piece. What I said was damn. And he laughed at that. He asked me, if I had any idea where he got the piece. I said I have no clue.

"So he told me. He was in the thirteenth century and he made it himself." I said still amazed. Even I believed him.

"What? How could that be?" Shocked.

"My family lived very long. You know how I look. I'm only 55." I smiled. His lips parted for a jaw drop.

"How can that be?"

"It's a gene or a power that everybody in my family had. Out of curiosity, how old do I look?" I smiled and gave him a pose.

"Late twenties or early thirties." Making a guess.

"Yes, finally I'm not going to change anymore."

"What?" He looked at me questionly.

"Oh, it has a stop. Like what it is, is we still grow, but it slows down the growing process. And when you look like in your late twenties or early thirties, the slow growing process has stopped. But it sucks for the woman, because we can still have babies even if we are hundred years old." I shook my head in disgust.

"You mean that he could have been already hundreds of years old?" He pointed to the smoldering spot in the floor.

"Yeah." I was coming to realize that myself. "But vampires are immortal. So they can last in what stage in life forever. Say a child got bit. She would stay a child all her life. Only physically, but mental she is a woman. Get what I'm saying?"

"But you're a vampire yourself. Aren't you?" He looked at me questionly.

"Well, yes and no. I live in the light and darkness. I'm both good and evil."

"Oh." Relief flashed over his face.

"God damn it!" Realizing another thing that pissed me off.

"What?" 

"I needed to ask him about my family!" My voice rising. But then I found control in my depths of my brain.

"Calm yourself."

"I am calm."

"Maybe I can help you."

"Huh?" I was confused.

"You know how he said; there are different levels of us? I'm the brain power level."

"You are? Sure don't look like it!" Looking him over again.

"They had to train us to fight, just in case we got caught in our missions, and we would be the generals, the ones who do all the thinking."

"Oh, okay." Still not believing him. "Let's do it then."

11

We stared at the screen of his dusty old lab top. He pulled it out of one of closets. And I thought he didn't have electricity.

He kept trying but kept on getting zilch. I started pacing, and I only do that when I'm nervous. But I wanted to dig up on him too. I smiled. 

"I think I found something." He whispered slowly. I came sprinting toward him.

"What?" More concentrating on the screen than him. It was the file on my dad.

"It's your dad." He said. But I couldn't hear him. I was too zoned out on the screen. But I read my Dad's file in Manticore. 

It didn't tell me much. It said that he was an X5, how old he was. Nothing really useful.

"Is that all you can find on him?"

Wondering.

"Yeah. Want me to find yours?" Zack asked.

"Please and thank you. Sorry about the burned spot in your den." Walking away from the computer and into the kitchen to get a drink.

"It's not your fault. He had it coming. I'll just get a big carpet and cover it up or something." He didn't sound very concerned.

Coming back into the room with a glass of Cherokee Red soda in hand I asked the personal question that bothered me. "Zack?"

"Yeah?" He didn't take his eyes off the screen. 

"What happened in your life that made you to be . . .?" I couldn't find the words. ". . . Here?"

He swiveled his chair and only stared at me. For a minute I thought he wasn't going to answer. "It was kind of like your father."

"What do you mean?" I had a confused look on my face.

"I mean that, they gave me a break, and I fell in love with a girl out into this world. I went back, I told them I quit. I came walking back to her and married her. But they didn't like me quitting. My wife supposedly got killed in a car crash two years ago, but I didn't believe that. And my daughter four years ago by a drunk driver. One day last year out of the blue a soldier came to my house and told me that Ames White wanted to see me." He paused to think.

"What did you do?"

"I told him no. He left. But the next day, it was Ames White himself. We had a talk and he asked if I wanted back into Manticore. I said no. He looked piss for a single second and he made his leave. I'll bet you any money that he killed or set up to kill my wife. I miss my wife dearly.




Secrets Hidden Within Pt. 03



"It was two years ago. It was pretty bad, because some people thought I had a mental breakdown or something, but it was truly hard to think that she was gone, or even dating, or getting married again. I was scared, and people feared me, they had a right to be afraid. I guess I wanted to live in the past. But you taught me something."

"I did?" I asked. I was surprised.

"Yeah. You taught me, just to get over it. It's done, over. You got to stop grieving and live your life. Don't focus on the little things; focus on the things that matter."

"How did I teach you that?" I asked in a confused voice.

"It's how you acted or something. I don't know."

"After all that happened, did you go outside and people do something?"

"Actually there were occasions." Rememorizing.

"What happened?"

"Well, I went out for coffee, because I knew I had to get over her death. So I went out to get some coffee and people just stared at me. But some hot shot wanted some attention. So he got up and walked over and stopped in front of the table. 'Look everybody! It's the retarded person who can't get over his wife.' he said. He started to giggle, and people started to laugh. 

"I got up and started to walk away. But he stood in front of me. It got quiet fast. 'Where do you think you're going?' Being just a smartass. 'Get out of my way, Roger.' I took a step away from him, but he stepped in front of me again. 'It's none of your god damn business.' 'Just tell me, I'm curious.' 'Get out of my way.' I got out of the corner that he trapped me in and turned my back around him. 'Hey no one walks away from me!'

"He gripped my shoulder. I shrugged it off, and said 'Then I'm a no body.' But then he turned me around and was about to punch me, but I blocked it and he only hit my arm. And then he tried another hit, but I blocked that blow and then I did a full blow to the jaw. And that flung him back and he hit the seat that I was just in. He had fear in his eyes. I walked toward him and said, 'Roger, when someone says Get out of my way, get out of the way. And left him laying on the seat in stony silence."

"Did you have to deal with the police?" Wondering. I would do the same thing.

"Yes and no. They came and asked me questions, but I told them the truth, and they left and they did nothing but actually charged Roger." I only giggled.

"I guess he learned his lesson." He got up out of his chair and walked toward me. He took the glass from my fingertips and took a swallow. He sat it down on a nearby table. He only looked at me. I stared into his green eyes. I saw wonder and desire in them. And I know where this was going.

"I'm . . .ahhh . . . , are you hungry? Because I am." I smiled a fake smile. I walked away from his reach.

"I am hungry, but not for food." Shit, I knew I shouldn't have asked him that. My mind was screaming. I was still backing up from him when I hit the kitchen wall; he was practically on top of me. "I don't think this is a good idea." I stammered. But then I was trapped between him and the wall. He had his arms blocking the way out.

He was so close that I could smell him. I was tensing, but I should remain calm. I was ready to say something else, but then he was kissing me. It was light at first, but then he went a little deeper. I tried to fight but I went with it. I was weakening. When he broke the kiss, I was breathless. Now I knew he was a good kisser. Great! What did I get myself into?

"Listen, maybe you should think about this." I stammered.

"There is nothing to think about except the couch or the bed." I gulped, this is going critical. He moved in for another kiss. He only got to my lips because I pushed him away.

"Stop!" I gripped my control in my mind and got it. My mind was spinning. "Listen Zack, it's not going to work out." He only looked at me blankly. I could still see the hunger in his eyes, but not as fierce. "I'm sorry, and you are a great guy, but. . . "He cut me off. I could now see that hurt replaced the hunger.

"But, I'm not the one. I'm not good enough. What is it? Take your pick!" He snapped. I was still trapped in his arms. He was like a rock.

"Zack, I sorry, but I'm married." 

"Oh." Understanding washed over his face. But he was still hurt, but understood. He stepped away from me, and was shuffling toward the computer. But then he stopped and looked back at me. "Who is it and how long?"

"Logan Cael. And I got married to him when I was thirty-nine. I still love him, and I'm not going to cheat on him." I explained. He nodded and went to his computer. I felt guilty. "Zack?" I called after him. I heard him typing away on his computer. I walked toward the doorway. I looked in and he looked clearly upset. 

"Did you find anything?" Trying to forget the scene that almost happened in the kitchen. It reminded of me and Logan one day in Professor Xavier's school's kitchen.

"Yeah, and it's something interesting." Forgot the scene and now all focused on the screen.

"What?" Now impatient, I rushed toward the screen. I read my file and I knew something was wrong.

"My god." He said with sickness in his voice.

"God damn them!" I said slowly. What it said shocked me. This is what the page said.

File Number: X5454

Name: Maxe Mae Guevara

Abilities: Everything.

DOB: April 25, 1942

Killed: 71

Wounded: 58

Transgenics killed: 45 

Analysis: Very dangerous. Depends on what level and abilities the transgenics have in order to beat her. Otherwise they're dead. We have been studying her for all her life. 

Vulnerablability: Her family. Logan Cael (husband, but no file, at seas), Jesse Cael (daughter, lawyer in New York), and Cody Cael (son, in school in New York). 

And so on, with the physical and mental health. But, I couldn't believe it. They were following me my whole life. They were going to kill us that day, but Sabretooth had interfered with their plans. But why? The only explanation, Magneto. 

Zack stared at her for a few minutes with a worried look. She looked confused or trying to fit it all together, but not succeeding.

"Maxe?" That brought me out of my daze. But now I wore a confused or total understanding on my face. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah, fine. But my life is a big, giant, fucking puzzle. I just can't piece it together. I don't know all the pieces yet. Or can't find the rest. My parents hid them from me. They didn't want me to find out. They thought I would get hurt. But I end up did. I don't have all the pieces and I need them to finish this god damn puzzle piece." I chose my words carefully.

"Want me to find something else for you?" He looked up at me with knowing eyes. 

"No. Wait, look something up for a trip to Africa. Like on a boat, not a plane. They would know. I really got to lie low now." I left the room and went to the den. 

12

I left the room and then to the den. I looked at the still smoldering spot in the floor. I went to the window and looked out in the starry night. It was lovely sight if I wasn't all mixed up inside. But then I felt a need to go out and in to the nice fresh air. 

So I walked to the front door, and looked back to see if he was following, but he wasn't. I opened the door and nothing happened but cool nice air enveloped me. I stepped out and let the moonlight shine down on the only person that is truly different.

I walked on and tried to sort things out, but they kept on shifting and changing. But then I just wanted to be free from this nuisance. But then I let my mind wander to anything it wanted to be. And I thought about what my mom said when she died.

Maxe keep this. Then she gave me her necklaces of the river stone and dragon claw. You'll need these on your journeys. They will help you through anything. She continued. I love you Maxe, and you know that. You will have tough challenges on your way but you'll survive. She choked but drank her own blood. You will have a great man in your life, and he'll save you a couple times but the rest is yours. I will always be in your heart! But then something clicked. I stopped. Something was not right in what she said. I rethought it, and it was the stone and the dragon claw that she was talking about. You'll need these on your journeys. They will help you through anything.

What was she talking about? I looked down to where the stone and claw lay slightly below the hollow part of my neck. What did she mean by that? I rubbed the stone and marble and then took them off and stared at it. I didn't know what she meant by the stone or claw but something was weird with the stone. I could feel a presence or something in it. But it was a good presence, not an evil one.

But then I felt a little dizzy. I was hypnotized by the stone; my eyes couldn't leave the stone. Everything turned black; I couldn't see anything except the stone. But then it started to fade away into nothing. It felt like I was totally drunk. I was warping into another world.

But it felt like I was so small and big at the same time. My mouth was dry; my heart was beating so hard that it gave me a headache. But then my vision started to clear and I saw everything. The galaxy, the Milky Way, the planets, everything. It was so beautiful. But then I started to move at incredible speed to Earth. But the grass was purple, and the sky was green. 

But what I saw scared me to death. Bodies everywhere. It looked like they were there for awhile, but they were everywhere. Some trying to reach to something, as if trying to stop or get to somewhere. But then I took my gaze off the bodies and now I was looking at the sun. It had crumbled into thousands of pieces in the sky. The terror that was building in my body a minute ago was at total level now. I was terrified. I never was this scared before.

I heard a something on the dead planet, so I looked at it. It was a man in his forties. He looked calm and relaxed, as if he expected to see me. He was staring right at me. 

"Hello, X5454." He said. But then there was a flash of brilliant light. It blinded me. But then I was somewhere else. 

It looked like an old warehouse. I turned around seeing old leaky pipes, but then I saw the man. He was jumping rope. But then another man came into view. 

"White" he said, "X 5454 killed Jack Moonkraft."

"What happened to him?" He didn't stop. It didn't come as a shock to him.

"She bit him, sir."

"What?" Coming to a stop this time. He stared at him stupidly.

"I guess she was a vampire and killed him, because he turned into one of them."

"Great, she is even stronger than I expected at this time." He paused to think. "If we are going to get her, we might want to do it soon." He looked at him some more and then the man left, and he started to jump rope again. But then he looked up at me. 

"I'm going to get you someday X5454. Someday." And he started to laugh. It was hatred and cold laughter. The one that brings chills up your spine and leaves goose bumps behind. 

Then I was being sucked backward. I heard a voice but it was very far away, but then it came closer, and closer.

"Maxe. Maxe!" Zack was shaking me awake. "Maxe! Are you okay?" He had a concerned look on his face.

I groaned. My bones were stiff, and I could see the sun rising. I must have been there lying there for awhile. The cold was biting at me. I felt very numb; I could barely feel my fingers. I felt weakened, but refreshed. 

"Are you okay?" He asked again while holding me into a sitting position.

"Damn it. Yeah, I guess." But then I remembered everything with a crash. "Zack, I was looking into the stone and I saw the world dead. Everybody dead. The grass was purple and the sky was green. The sun was in thousands of pieces, and there was a man." I said slowly and in a mystified voice. 

He thought I was crazy now. "I'm not nuts." I yelled. "I know what I saw."

"Okay, I believe you." He promised. But his eyes didn't mean it. "Let's get you inside before you get pneumonia."

"I don't get sick easily." I promised.

"But with how long you were outside, I'm not going to trust that promise." I shook my head and it ached. He helped me up and I staggered a little. My bones were stiff for being there too long. 

Zack kept a hold on my shoulder so I was all right and not tip over. But I managed the walk. He took me to the couch and I plopped down on it. 

"So what happened?" He asked.

"I told you! Did you find a boat going to Africa?" I wondered. I put my necklaces on.

"Yeah, but that's not important right now."

"Yes it is. I'm sorry to say, but you have to come with me. Otherwise White and his goons are going to come after you and kill you for your powers, or what you can do." His eyes grew serious. "Yes they will keep on coming until you're dead!"

"Okay, well then, yeah I did find a boat for us to hop on and drag along." 

"Good, but after we are in Africa, I have to take off again. And I can't have you tagging along with me. My life is very dangerous of what I saw and read. You even read it. Now you promise me, that you'll stay low. And do not tag behind me!" 

"I promise." His eyes didn't move, but it sounded fake to my ears. 

"You got to mean it Zack!" This time he promised truly.

13

Next week we got in the boat with my power of invisibility. We had to stay in the bottom, otherwise we would get caught. One time it was really close. I had to zap a guy's memory in order to not be found.

One night he had to tell me the bad news of the trip.

"Just so you know this thing only stops at Africa. It doesn't stay there." Zack said to me. We were hiding in the darkness for three days, and he tells me this now.

"That is going to make the boat escape hard." I groaned. I heard a distant noise coming our way. "Shh...." He quieted once more. Now I heard gruff voices.

"Yeah, did you hear about the escapee? At that weird hospital?" Said a rough voice.

"Yeah, I heard about that. They said it was a vampire. Do you believe that?" said the other.

"I don't know Frank. I heard a lot of stuff happening up there. How about this? That woman over in America, that is supposedly over here telling her life story? Huh? Do you believe that one?" he asked.

"I don't believe that. That girl is tough! She killed how many people, and yet police won't arrest her. Heck, they couldn't find her in so many years! She kicks ass! Hell! If she was in front of me now, I would be scared shitless, yet I would ask for an autograph. But I would probably get killed." Frank said in dismay. I felt bad, I knew I could prove him wrong, but now was not the time. They were closer, I could hear their breathing, their heartbeats, and yet they were still far away. I was thinking if I should prove them wrong or not.

14

Howie was looking at the pile of boxes when Frank said that. He was thinking, when he saw movement there. 

"Yeah, you're probably right. I would do the same thing. Something is over there." He pointed to the boxes, and they both stopped in their tracks. Frank looked over.

"I don't see anything." But then they heard a voice.

"Of course you don't see me. I don't need to be seen. I am the great, but not all too great. People think I'm just an animal. But I'm not. I'm just different." said the voice.

"Who's there? Show yourself." Frank said in a shaky voice. A shape started to form in front of the boxes. Howie and Frank were scared now.

"You already know me. In fact you're speaking of me." The thing sounded proud. It stood erect, waiting for something to happen. It looked strong and smart, as if it knew if this was another problem it had to face it had a plan to get out of this situation.

"You're the woman?" Frank said with fascination and dread.

"Yes, I'm the woman you speak of. But I need your help." She came forward. Her body we could see, but her face was still in shadows. But her eyes burned with light. Frank and Howie thought, this is her, the great and powerful Max!

"I will not kill you in the end but, you got to keep this a secret. You got it?" She whispered. They both shook their heads.

"Please senorita, May we see your face." Howie said in a pleading voice. He was excited as Frank was. 

"If I must." And she came into the light.

Such a beautiful and yet dangerous thing they saw. She had vibes and waves coming toward you, as if to say Stay back, but Come. Her eyes were cold, dangerous, and yet wise. They told you that she would never break a promise, you could trust her, and don't ever cross her, or don't get in my way. She was dangerous yet kind. Is that ever a good mix? 

Chapter 8

Kitty Vacation

So they were our friends, friends that were afraid of us. But that didn't cross my mind. I was on vacation, vacation at last. I never had one until now. And I'm going to be 52 years old on April 25! So here I go laying low in Africa! Boy I wish Logan was here with me. 

There were so many different plans I can do in Africa. But I got to keep low. That's not going to be easy. I'll read a few books, hang out in the zone, and straighten things up in my head. Sounds good. But it just doesn't feel right. Maybe because I was always busy, and now I have time off, and take a cruise. 

1

Nothing happened much at Africa. I was out of Howie's and Frank's mind (at least I think so). Zack kept following, until one day, they almost caught us.

I was walking through the streets (him right behind me), when I felt something wrong. As if I was being watched. I kept on walking trying to psych them out. 

"Zack?" He came right by my side. Good Doggie! Why can't you stay though! I thought coldly.

"Yeah?" He looked concerned.

"Something is wrong. People are watching us, and it's not the village people." I said cautiously. 

"What are you thinking?" Trying to read my mind, but he doesn't have that power like I do.

"What I am thinking is that they caught us. Manticore men. I feel their eyes on me as if I was at a county fair and Sweet Heart is eyeing the thing he is trying to get for his date." I studied the crowd. I could not see them yet. They must be behind us. I was pumped up with adrenaline. I could feel it and my blood beating against the veins.

I saw him looking at me gravely. He was pale as a paper. I ignored him as the rest of the people chattered by us. But then I was in the zone, also in my Mind's eye (vision).

I saw a hand cock a gun. It was a machine gun.

The finger was already on the trigger. Tightening as the shooter aimed.

I was still in the zone. But I whispered to him as I went. "Down." But then I fully came out of it as I heard the crash of the bullets coming out of the chamber.

I dived, caught Zack's leg, and hit the ground.

"How many goddamn times do I have to save your life? JesusChristbannas." He just kept on looking at me. The thundering kept on coming. I heard people screaming, smelling their fear, saw them falling to the ground dead, and I could feel their warm blood scattering on my back and face.

"We have to get out of here now, before we are dead!" I screamed at him. He nodded. But he made no move. "Crawl, soldier!" I screamed in his face. He started to crawl, and I crawled after him.

I kept on hearing screams, people falling, and all that. A person never wants to have that experience. I felt bad for them. I was the one they were after. Damn, this was the time that I wish I was never born! But it's my life. It would be lucky if someone lives from this mess.

2

"Reports today are very strange. In Africa, there were terrorists. They had machine guns and killed the whole town Mewaki. No one came out alive. Reports say they were their government.

"In other reports today..."

He shut off the TV. He thought Yeah, they were terrorists. But they weren't their government, but American's government. He smiled a cold smile. I wonder if they got X5454. He hoped they did. He looked around the room. Dingy, dark, sinister. Why was he here when he could be on a cruise or something? He needed a break. This transgenic is hard to catch. He looked out the wind and thought about all of them. He should kill them. They were worthless. America will have to deal with them themselves. And he went to his thoughts.