Welch, D [Shadow People 03] Shadow Twins

by Doug Welch

  Hugging Elizabeth, Kitty could barely get her arms around her. Standing back, and glancing down at her stomach, she remarked, “Damn, Beth, you look like you swallowed a prize pumpkin.”

  Elizabeth nodded. “I feel like it too. The baby’s taking her own sweet time. I have no idea as to when she wants out, but it has got to be soon. I’m going crazy with waiting.”

  Elizabeth took her hand and led her into the house. “Cecil’s at the bed and breakfast. Let’s sit. I haven’t seen you since you since you left for Washington.” They settled on the living room couch.

  Kitty had spent months at the farm being trained by Paris and had become close to both Elizabeth and Alex. Although reluctant to admit it, she’d come to feel more like a sister the more time she’d spent with them and crazy as it might seem, since becoming an Adept and an Agent, she felt responsible toward them. She’d never had much of a family while growing up and was unaccustomed to the warm feelings that being a part of the family engendered.

  “I’ve got a lot to talk about, Beth but I’m afraid it’ll have to wait. Why the phone call? What’s going on between you and Paris?”

  Elizabeth’s smile disappeared. “The man’s not Paris.”

  Kitty felt shocked. Obviously there was more depth to this than she’d expected. Was Elizabeth suffering from some kind of medical problem? But she was a doctor. Surely she’d recognize mental illness.

  Pressing her fingers to the bridge of her nose, Kitty said, “I think you need to back up a moment. When did this start?”

  Elizabeth looked grim. “The moment he returned, but that’s not the real reason. The truth is –”

  Whatever she was about to say was interrupted by Caesar hauling Kitty’s luggage through the front door. “Which room, Beth?”

  “Alex’s old room. I helped Cecil clean it for Kitty’s arrival,” Elizabeth replied.

  Grunting, Caesar picked up the bags and carried them out of the living room and down the hallway.

  Nodding at her departing bother, Elizabeth said, “I think we need to continue this conversation in the study.”

  With Kitty’s help, Elizabeth rose from the couch and led her to the study. They entered the room and Elizabeth closed the door.

  “What’s all the secrecy about Beth?” Kitty asked. “Why don’t you want to talk about it when Caesar’s around?”

  “I can see mind-glow Kitty, Paris taught me how.” Elizabeth blurted.

  Surprised by her admission, Kitty didn’t reply at first. “Well, why keep it from Caesar? I can see why we’d want to make sure the Council doesn’t know, but Caesar’s your brother...er cousin...er whatever.”

  Elizabeth bit her lip. “It goes deeper than that. I can only sense a few minds, but two of them are Paris’...and my baby’s.”

  Kitty’s eyes flew open. “Your baby? You can sense your unborn child? How’s that possible?”

  Elizabeth shook her head. “I don’t know but Paris can sense her too. That’s why I don’t want Caesar to know. If Alex found out, then sooner or later she’d attempt it with her child and the effort might kill her. As it is, I can only do it with Paris’ help, because I don’t want to leave when my mind is entangled with hers, I get lost.”

  “This Shadow crap is becoming strange, Elizabeth,” Kitty said. “The possibilities seem endless, not to mention dangerous. How do you know this hasn’t affected your baby?”

  Elizabeth smiled. “I know because the last time I checked she seemed to be happy to sense me. This all started in Vegas, Kitty. It’s the first time we tried it, right after the wedding. That’s how Paris was able to find me in the tunnels.”

  Kitty pondered the implications of Elizabeth’s words. “So, that’s why you say Paris wasn’t Paris. You could sense his mind-glow.”

  Elizabeth nodded. “Exactly. But the fact that he isn’t Paris and the sudden appearance of Audrey has made me think about another problem. I’ve come up with a theory, but I’d rather explain it when everyone’s gathered at the meeting.”

  “I suppose it has something to do with why so many people wear my face,” Kitty said.

  Elizabeth nodded again. “There must be a scientific explanation, but I’d rather discuss it later. Meanwhile you need to unpack and freshen up from the trip. The meeting’s at the B&B. Cecil has promised a scrumptious lunch and I’m eating for two.”

  Kitty helped Elizabeth rise from the chair she’d sat in and they left the study, joining Caesar who sat in the living room.

  Looking up at them he said, “Well?”

  Kitty nodded. “Beth convinced me. We’re looking for a Paris lookalike.”

  “I didn’t have chance to talk to him,” Caesar said. “He seemed to be avoiding me. But we need to be certain, Kitty. Doubting each other could destroy the Family.”

  Deciding to cut the issue short, Kitty said, “You told me I’m in charge now, right?” Caesar nodded. “Well trust me, this imposter’s up to something. We need to find out what it is and we need to find out before he can do any damage.”

  Caesar shrugged. “You’re the boss. I need to collect Alex, and I’ll pick both of you up for the meeting.”

  After Caesar left, Kitty climbed the stairs to Alex’s old bedroom and unpacked her bags. Although the whole thing seemed preposterous, she’d seen and experienced a lot lately that gave her a whole new perspective on the seemingly impossible.

  Her whole life had become an enigma as though she was part of a more sinister agenda. One in which her genetic heritage loomed increasingly important.

  She had despised and loved her father, despised him for his weakness and alcoholism, but nevertheless loved him as the man who gave her life. Now she wondered what role he’d actually played in her birth. With the exception of her hair color, what part of her actually came from him?

  * * *

  Kitty opened the door to Alex’s pickup truck, interrupting the animated conversation between Alex and the back seat passenger. She got in beside the unfamiliar woman and extended her hand. “Hi I’m Kitty.”

  The young woman took a long look at her, sweeping her amber eyes over her face and form, finally settling on her outstretched hand, she shook it. “Audrey Warren.” Still staring at her face, she shook her head as if to cast off her inner thoughts. “You know, I don’t think I’d really believed all this stuff until I met Alex and now you. Do you have any idea as to how this happened? I’ll tell you quite frankly it scares me.”

  Kitty laughed. “Join the club, sister. I’m as confused as you are. Beth says she has an idea but I haven’t a clue. I suppose she’ll tell us at the meeting.” Turning her attention to Alex, Kitty asked, “What’s up, Sis. When’s the baby due?”

  Alex smiled. “Not soon enough for me. I can’t wait to get back to my normal self. I’m just worried about crap like stretch marks and all that, but I suppose I’ll have to live with it. How about you? What’s up with you and Rodger?”

  Of all the people Kitty had felt she could confide in, Alex had been her only choice. She’d bared her soul to her with regular phone calls and Alex had provided a shoulder she could cry on. It worried her that Alex would bare her secrets in front of a stranger.

  Apparently seeing her hesitation, Alex said. “You can be honest here Kitty. We’re all three sisters. I’ve accepted it as a fact, and I think Audrey has too.”

  Audrey nodded. “I think since I’ve been staying with Alex, I’ve come to accept it. I’ve never had a sister before and the feeling is...I don’t know...kind of warm I guess. If it’s a topic you don’t want to talk about in front of me, then don’t.”

  Kitty leaned back in the seat and closed her eyes. “He’s asked me to marry him.”

  Alex giggled. “That’s great! And what did you say?”

  Kitty opened one eye. “Are you kidding, Alex? I’m a freaking Shadow Adept. How can I marry him?”

  Audrey distracted her. “Do you love him?”

  Kitty opened the other eye. “What’s love got to do with it? Of course I love
him. That just makes it harder.”

  Audrey shook her head. “I don’t understand. If you’re in love with him then why not marry him?”

  Kitty sighed. “Alex, you explain it to her.”

  Alex’s level gaze turned to Audrey. “Rodger’s what the Shadows call a Normal. If they’re married, Kitty wouldn’t be able to hide what she is.”

  Kitty broke in. “Kitty wouldn’t want to keep secrets from her husband even if he is a Normal. Kitty’s not built like that.”

  “Oh,” Audrey replied. “I still don’t see the problem. Just tell him and let him decide.”

  Kitty sighed. “There’s more, Audrey. We’re both FBI Agents and if we’re married we can’t work together.”

  The conversation halted when Caesar opened the driver’s side door. “Beth is going by herself. She says she won’t be comfortable in the back seat and Cecil’s driving her to the B&B.” He got into the driver’s seat and started the truck.

  As he drove he called to the back seat, “Did I interrupt anything important?”

  Alex shook her head. “No, we were just discussing Kitty’s love life.”

  “Or lack thereof,” Kitty grumbled from the back.

  “Oh. Is this about Rodger Pell?” Caesar asked.

  “Alex,” Kitty complained. “Why don’t you just announce it to the whole world?”

  Alex turned and smiled at her. “I’m like you. I don’t keep secrets from my husband. Why don’t you just accept that the Family will support you, no matter what you may decide?”

  Kitty felt a warm glow spread through her and tears came to her eyes. “I...I never had much of a family.”

  Alex’s look grew firm. “Well you do now and you’d better get used to it, because we’re all in this together. There’s no backing out now.”

  Kitty grew silent, thinking about Alex’s last statement. They had to be united, a Family, because the threat and uncertainty they all faced would make them stronger.

  Or it could destroy them.

  Chapter 17

  Family Meeting

  Kitty felt self-conscious sitting in Paris’ place at the head of the long, formal mahogany table. The ornate dining room of the Family’s bed and breakfast was an elegant place to hold a Family meeting, unlike the severe business center. After all the greetings, the hugs, the food, and now the coffee, it was time to conduct business.

  Leaning over the table, she caught Tom Bradley’s attention. “Has the place been swept for bugs?”

  Tom nodded, his long black hair bobbing along with his head. “We do it daily since Vegas. It’s as clean as our technology can make it.”

  Tom’s response was good enough for her. She knew he’d once been employed by the National Security Agency and knew about stuff she wasn’t cleared for, even as an FBI Agent.

  Kitty cleared her throat. “Ahem. I think everyone here knows what this is about so I won’t belabor the issue. I’ve talked to Beth and I’m convinced she sensed something that alerted her, but the jury’s still out. He could just be acting weird, maybe something the Shadows did to him. One of the last things we want as a Family is to start doubting each other. We need strong convincing evidence that the man Elizabeth feels is impersonating Paris is, in fact, not Paris. Anyone want to start?”

  June raised her hand. “I discussed this with Caesar before I decided to monitor the situation.” She composed herself and continued. “Almost two weeks ago Paris called me to set up an account for him. The account was to be available in of all places, Italy.

  “I thought it was unusual at the time. I had no idea he’d traveled to that country and it came as a surprise. When he returned a week later, I figured he’d tell me what it was all about. Anyway the thing that worried me was that the day after he’d returned, funds were withdrawn from the account with his passwords. Now, since he’s been back, more funds were tapped, again with his passwords. I still haven’t seen him to ask about it and now he’s disappeared. If he’s currently withdrawing funds in Italy then how could he be here?”

  Tom interrupted. “When June told me about it, I used our computers to track the money trail. It’s going to a dummy company in Italy which is linked to an Italian family business but not the Borgias, some other family. The withdrawals all seem legitimate. They’ve got Paris’ Net signatures. I set up the security for his transactions and it would be hard to fake it.”

  June resumed after politely waiting for Tom to finish. “Once Tom told me what he found, I called Dan and he can take it from there.”

  Dan Simmons leaned forward sweeping the people sitting at the table with his grey eyes. “At first I was skeptical but June seemed worried, so I used some of our Normal proxies to shadow Paris, at least the man I assumed was Paris.” Seeing the concerned looks on some of his friend’s faces, he added, “It’s not unusual, I’ve done it before to provide bodyguards for him. I’m sure Paris suspected but he’s never complained.

  “Anyway he stayed at the farm for a few nights but then he drove out of Jamestown in a rented car. My men followed him to a run-down motel. He appeared to check in and they returned to report, leaving one man behind to observe the room.

  “I gave them new orders, and they returned to the site only to find the man they’d left behind lying at the rear of the motel, unconscious, and no sign of Paris.

  “Since then we’ve been unable to locate him.”

  Cecil’s bass voice overrode some of the whispers that had started. “Beth convinced me to observe him while he was at the farmhouse. He didn’t act like the Paris I knew, for one thing Paris always told me about his trips and asked my advice. This man wouldn’t talk to me, except to cuss me out. On two occasions I saw him get up early in the morning about three o’clock and prowl the house as if he looked for something. Now, Paris knows exactly what’s contained in that house, so what would he be looking for?”

  The resulting whispers became a cacophony of voices each trying to out-shout the others. Alex’s voice overrode the clamor. “We’re dodging an important issue! If everyone will stop shouting, I think we need to talk about it.”

  Having captured their attention Alex continued. “I think the thought on everyone’s mind is whether or not this man is Paris’ twin. We have ample evidence of the possibility. All you have to do is look around the table.”

  With the exception of Alex, everyone glanced at Kitty and Audrey.

  Alex continued. “Our newest Family member has something important to add to this discussion and I think we should hear her out.”

  Turning to Audrey, who sat beside her, Alex laid a hand on top of hers. “It’s your turn, hon. No one here will judge you. We’re all behind you, but you have an important tale to tell and we all need to hear it.”

  Blushing, Audrey reached into the back pocket of her jeans, and withdrew the folded photograph of Sybil. Handing it to Alex, she said, “This is a picture of the woman who gave birth to me. My father said her name was Sybil.” Audrey’s throat tightened either from the emotion, or the eyes of the people that stared at her, she couldn’t tell which.

  With an effort of will she resumed, “I asked Caesar and Paris to not talk about what happened to me in Iran, but I guess you all need to know. While they, the Borgias that is, imprisoned me in some hospital-like place –and it might have been in Italy –a man who looked exactly like Paris had sex with me and got me pregnant. I told Paris and Caesar that the man raped me, but the truth was more like I joined in willingly, even though I knew it was wrong. Anyway they took me to Iran and I had the baby. A daughter they took from me. I never saw her again.”

  Audrey collapsed in her seat, mortified that she’d revealed the truth of her encounter with the Paris lookalike and waiting for the condemnation of the people around the table.

  Alex squeezed her hand. “Tell them the rest, Audrey.”

  Audrey looked at Alex, anticipating the accusation she was sure she’d find, but seeing nothing but compassion, she continued. “The woman in that photograph, the one you�
�re passing around, was there every time I had sex. She’s supposed to be our birthmother, but I think it’s a lie.”

  Dan Simmons passed the photograph to Kitty and she examined it. Although the face was in profile, and the picture had lost some of its color, there was no mistaking the physical differences. The woman had long straight black hair and an olive complexion. Attractive, she could even be called exotic, but nothing in her looks resembled her or her supposed two half sisters. Not one feature was expressed in her, Alex or Audrey, not to mention Paris.

  “Audrey, are you sure that this woman is the one named Sybil? I can understand that you say she was present during your rape, but how do you know she was our birthmother?”

  “I only have my father’s word for it,” Audrey replied. “But from his reactions, I’m sure of it. Once I discovered this, I felt that Paris needed to know. It’s impossible, isn’t it?”

  Elizabeth’s voice sounded from across the table. “Yes and I have a theory about that.”

  As their resident medical expert, Elizabeth commanded everyone’s attention. Kitty, eager for anyone to make some order out of the chaos that surrounded her genetic heritage replied, “I’m sure everyone here needs something to hang onto even if it is a theory. As for me I’ll grab anything that makes sense of this mess. Out with it Beth, tell us what you think.”

  Elizabeth continued, seeming less sure of herself. “Well, this one has more holes than a block of Swiss cheese, but it’s the one that fits what we know. Audrey showed me the picture and told me what happened to her while she was under the Borgia’s control. I think everyone knows how I reacted after meeting Kitty, but my mind was made up after I saw Audrey and viewed the picture.

  “There’s no way that this woman could have possibly been a genetic birthmother. She had to have been a surrogate. Maybe she has some kind of strange ability to incite lust in people, I don’t know, she seems to have been able to seduce seemingly sober men into acts that they ordinarily wouldn’t contemplate. There’s only one way that she could have given birth to so many people who seem to have identical genetic qualities. She had to have been implanted with genetic clones or near clones.”