1 + 2

by Kristie Lynn Higgins

  On the stoop...

  A security camera mounted on the wall above them turned to get a better view of them as a man spoke through an intercom, "Can I help you?"

  "I'm Kat. I'm here to see Melissa and Chad."

  After a few minutes, a bodyguard with a blond ponytail and wearing a black suit opened the door. He looked so much like Argus he could have been his twin, and their resemblance unsettled Kat. A second bodyguard with brown, wavy, shoulder length hair stood behind him and had his gun drawn. The second bodyguard was one of the ones from the funeral.

  The first bodyguard the one who looked like Argus pressed the button on his earpiece. "Johnson, Andrews here. There are two female guests at the door. One's named Kat." Andrews nodded as he listened and turned to the other bodyguard. "Daniels, Ms. Odin says to let them in."

  Daniels held a metal detector wand and turned to Kat. "Lift your arms please." He ran the wand up and down her body. "Are you carrying any weapons?" The metal detector beeped as he ran it over her bag.

  Still stunned by their resemblance, Kat stared at Andrews for a few seconds. He looked so much like Argus; it was almost uncanny. She turned to Daniels and answered, "Yes, I have a weapon; it's a gun." Kat motioned with her head to her back. "It's in my pack."

  "I'll need you to hand it over before I can let you in," Daniels said.

  Kat removed her backpack, pulled out the Beretta, and handed the gun to the bodyguard.

  Daniels took it and put the weapon in a drawer of an entry table. He locked the drawer with a key and placed the key in his pants pocket, and then Daniels looked to Stephanie. "Lift your arms." He ran the wand up and down her body. "Do you have any weapons?" The wand detected no metal.

  "No, nothing," Stephanie answered.

  "I need your bags."

  They handed the packs over with no objections.

  Andrews pointed to Kat's hand. "What's that?"

  "A Bible. I brought it for Melissa."

  "I didn't know she was religious." Daniels holstered his gun and held out his hand. "I'll need to see it." He flipped through the book and handed it back to her. "I'll need to pat both of you down."

  "Of course." Kat slightly lifted her arms.

  He frisked her then Stephanie. "They're clear."

  Andrews pressed the button on his earpiece. "Johnson, we're bringing the women into the house."

  "Follow me." Daniels led them down the entry to a white and black checker tile living room.

  Ahead of them and to the right was a staircase leading up to the middle of an open second floor. On the left, a large sectional white leather couch in the shape of a C stood in front of a huge TV.

  Chad looked up from a video game and ran to Kat and in his excitement, he kicked a baseball glove to a metal bat he'd laid by the TV. "You came!" Chad wore a gray hooded sweat shirt and jeans.

  She wrapped her arms around the excited boy. "Is Melissa here?"

  "I'm here." She walked in from the kitchen, drying her hands on an apron. Melissa wore a light gray dress with a flower pattern.

  Kat smiled at Chad. She was so happy to see him again. Kat walked over to Melissa. "I brought you this." She held up the book. "It was Preacher's. I think he would want you to have it."

  Melissa looked to the worn leather cover and stared at it for a few moments. Sadness shown from her eyes, but there was something more, and she took a step back. "No."

  Katharine's view...

  Her reaction bewilders me, and I wonder if I see hatred in her expression and if so, what is it hatred of? Preacher's killer or Preacher himself?

  End Katharine's view...

  Melissa took another step back. "I think you should keep it. He would want you to keep it." She nodded as if that was the solution. "Yes, you keep it."

  Katharine's view...

  Either way, I don't care.

  "Thank you," I tell Melissa.

  I place the book against my chest, grateful I have something of Preacher's, so I'll never forget him.

  Stephanie's view...

  I look to the book with interest. Pandora must have really loved the guy; too bad he's dead, he could have been useful.

  End Stephanie's view...

  Melissa acted awkwardly, still looking at the book, then she noticed Chad, and her expression changed as she asked, "Anyone for chocolate chip cookies? They're hot out of the oven. I know it's a little early in the morning, but it's a special occasion."

  "Yeah, me!" Chad yelled, dashing into the kitchen.

  Melissa looked to the bodyguards. "Andrews... Daniels... What about you two?"

  "No, thank you," they both answered.

  Melissa turned back to the women. "Come on, ladies. Before the boy eats them all."

  The three women walked into the kitchen, and the heavenly aroma of baking dough and chocolate hit them. Melissa's little girl and Chad sat on barstools around a rosewood granite island. The island was in the middle of the large kitchen with matching tile floors. The third bodyguard was bald and stood off in the corner, and he also had been at the funeral. Kat sat next to the boy as Chad and the little girl dunked their cookies in glasses of milk. Stephanie watched them then sat beside Kat.

  "Would you like coffee?" Melissa asked the women. "There's a fresh pot."

  "If it's okay. I'd like to have milk," Kat said.

  "Sure." Melissa turned to Stephanie. "What about you?"

  "Coffee," she answered. "Black."

  "Coming right up." After some time, Melissa placed a small glass of milk in front of Kat and a mug of coffee in front of Stephanie, and then Melissa set a plate in front of each of the women and grabbed a metal sheet pan from the stove top with an oven mitt. She took a spatula, removed a warm cookie from the sheet pan, and placed it on a plate, and she repeated till each of her guests had two.

  Kat watched Stephanie pick up the cookie, dunk it in the coffee, and bite into it. Her blue-green eyes widened.

  "Mmm..." Stephanie swallowed. "This is good."

  Katharine's view...

  I continue watching her. Preacher's sister has a security detail, and then a horrible thought crosses my mind. Could she be after Melissa and not me?

  I take a bite of my cookie, stare at the granite counter too preoccupied to enjoy the treat, and then say, "You don't know me very well Melissa, but I hope you don't mind me asking. Why do you have bodyguards?"

  End Katharine's view...

  Stephanie perked up also interested.

  Melissa turned to the children. "Chad, why don't you take Bonnie up to her room to play while I talk with Kat."

  "Yes, Melissa. Come on, Bonnie. Let's go play in your room."

  Melissa waited till the children left and heard them walk up the stairs, and then she placed the sheet pan and spatula on the counter. "My contract with the Valhalla Corporation is in dispute." Melissa sat on the barstool next to Kat. "You see, I'm a chemist and after my ten year term ended with the corporation, I left. One year after that, I started a new job and developed a formula, and Valhalla claims they are entitled to anything I may have started while in their employment, but I never began work on this formula until I started my new job. The corporation I work for now, Isis, sent these bodyguards to protect me and my family until the delegation in court is over. Valhalla has no legal claims, but Isis fears they might convince the Assassins Guild to send a Closer after me, so I have these men here till the matter is settled." She looked up at the ceiling. "This place isn't my house but a safe house."

  Kat looked to Stephanie who downed another cookie and then turned back to Melissa and asked, "You said today was a special occasion. What is it?"

  "Yes. Oh, no. Did you forget?"

  Kat had no clue. "What?"

  "It's Chad's birthday."

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Break Down Of Security

  9:14 A.M...

  Minutes earlier...

  On Brownstone Stre
et...

  The four delivery men made their way across the road and up the stoop of Melissa's house, and then one of them removed his white cap, wiped sweat from his brow, and rang the doorbell. The security camera turned to see the two large rectangular crates the men had wheeled up on dollies.

  Andrews asked through the intercom, "Can I help you?"

  One of the men looked at a H.H.C. "We have a delivery for a Melissa Odin from Isis Corporation."

  Inside the house...

  Andrews looked to Daniels, who checked his H.H.C.

  "We are expecting them," Daniels said. "Let them in."

  Andrews went out, ran the wand over each man, frisked them, and found nothing. He opened the door for them. "Set the crates at the end of the entry and unload them."

  The four men started in as one of the men said, "There are three more crates, and they should be arriving shortly."

  Inside the kitchen...

  Katharine's view...

  Chad's birthday? Sheez! I forgot. How could I forget?

  I think back a year ago, and it almost seems like yesterday. It had been fifteen days since I met Chad, and the day before, Preacher told me it was the boy's birthday, so we were going to surprise him.

  End Katharine's view...

  31 A.D.C...

  November 7...

  Saturday...

  Chad entered the Kitchen and made his way to his cot. Sweat soaked his sweatshirt, and he held a worn basketball under his arm.

  "Have a good game?" Kat sat up on her cot and nodded to Preacher across the room, and he headed to get the surprise as the boy sat.

  "Not bad, but the Kitchen's basketball has seen its last game. It keeps losing air. Can't really play with a ball that doesn't bounce."

  "Oh." Kat tried to hide a grin. "Guess not."

  "You up to playing some cards with me? I was hoping we might play..."

  "I don't know," she interrupted as she lay back. "I'm kind of tired. Maybe I'll go to bed early." She rolled on her side, faced him, and rested her head on her elbow. "Today isn't some sort of special day, is it?" She saw Preacher come up behind the boy with a chocolate cupcake with a single lit candle in it.

  "No." Chad lied and sulked. "Not really."

  Kat sat up and said, "I think you're wrong." She pointed behind the boy.

  Chad turned and saw the cupcake as Preacher and Kat broke out in song.

  "It's your birthday!" they sang off tune. "It's your birthday! It's a special day. It's a special day." They shouted loudly, "Happy birthday Chad!"

  The boy smiled. "Are you trying to make my ears bleed?"

  "Blow the candle out already, smart guy." Preacher handed the cupcake to the boy.

  Chad took it, closed his eyes, and blew out the small flame.

  "Why did you close your eyes?" Kat questioned.

  "I made a wish. One I can't tell you."

  "Go ahead eat the cupcake," Preacher said.

  Chad removed the paper cup. "You're supposed to make a wish when you blow out your candles." He bit into the chocolate and asked through a mouthful, "Don't you on your birthday?"

  "I don't know. I don't know when my birthday is."

  "Really? Why don't we make it in two weeks?" He wiped his mouth with his hand. "Won't that be cool?"

  She looked to Preacher, and he told her, "It's up to you, Kat."

  "Okay. My birthday will be in two weeks, and now for the other part of your celebration." Kat pulled out a large paper sack. "Your present."

  "A present? Really?" Chad quickly opened it. "A basketball. And it's new! Wow! Thanks."

  In the present...

  The memory faded as Kat uttered, "Wait. It isn't his birthday, not for another two weeks."

  "I know, but I wanted to have some laughter and some fun memories for the boy to remember–" Melissa's eyes became distant. "–in case..."

  Johnson had left earlier and walked back in, interrupting her statement. "The packages have arrived."

  Melissa took a deep breath, composing herself. "The Isis Corporation said they would be sending them over."

  Johnson said, "Daniels is going to give Andrews a hand. He's better with computers than I am."

  Stephanie's view...

  I watch Pandora and study her expressions, her reactions, and her interactions with other people. She isn't anything like I thought she would be, so this is the Council's great hope for the ultimate killer.

  I chuckle, and Pandora glances at me, then I wipe my mouth with a napkin and say, "Yummy cookies."

  Katharine's view...

  I'm not sure how to take Stephanie. I can't tell if she's a threat or only an annoyance.

  I force those thoughts to the side as something else bothers me, and a deep sounding warning like a distant drum before war resounds in my mind. Good with computers...

  I turn to Melissa and ask, "What kind of packages did the Isis Corporation send over?"

  End Katharine's view...

  "Bio-mechas," Melissa answered as she grabbed a cookie. "Why do you ask?"

  "Crap!" Kat stood. "What type?"

  "Un-Men," Johnson answered. "Isis bought a few from the Sphinx Cor..."

  "No," Kat interrupted and then ran out of the kitchen, shouting, "Don't activate them!"

  Stephanie, Melissa, and Johnson followed after her a few seconds later.

  Rushing into the living room, Kat found Andrews and Daniels standing along side five Un-men, and there were two T-1s and three T-2s. They wore no ORATT like they normally did to hide their eyes. She would have darted for the front door, but they blocked the entry, so she shouted again, "Don't activate them!" Kat looked to the locked entry table where her gun lay. She would be defenseless if they powered up.

  Daniels didn't hear her and tapped the activation button, the H.H.C. wirelessly transmitted the command, and the Un-Men came to life.

  lub-DUB... lub-DUB...

  Her body prepared to combat them as the blue Ult L-E shimmered, and Kat franticly turned to Melissa. "Do you have a back door?"

  "By Thor!" Melissa gasped. "Your eyes!"

  Stephanie's view...

  I freeze in awe. What's happening to Pandora? What's this amazing thing that's happening to her?

  End Stephanie's view...

  The Un-Men stated in one accord, "Unit activated. Uploading new programming. Please stand by. Program will be uploaded in twenty seconds."

  "Melissa!" Kat yelled and repeated, "Do you have a back door?"

  Johnson stepped forward, not liking the behavior of the guest. "Why do you want to know that? And what is wrong with your eyes?"

  In the entry...

  The Un-Men turned their heads, stared at Kat, and said in unison, "Pandora Project detected. Bypassing new software. Initializing original commands. Commencing Seek and Destroy Program." They stepped forward. "Annihilate the Pandora Project."

  "What?" Daniels shouted. "What's this Pandora Project?" He tapped a few buttons on the H.H.C. touch screen. "We have defective bio-mechas. No wonder the Isis Corporation got them so cheap. We'll have to shut them down." He pressed a few more buttons. "They aren't turning off!"

  By the kitchen...

  "The door!" Kat grabbed Melissa's arms, so she would focus on her, and screamed, "I need to leave now!"

  Johnson moved forward with his hand up and the other one on his gun. "I think you need to back up."

  In the entry...

  Andrews leaned over and glanced at Daniel's H.H.C. screen and pointed. "Try the override command."

  "I did," he told him. "They aren't responding. I'll pull up the emergency termination; it will burn out their processor."

  The Un-Men pulled guns out of their shoulder holsters.

  "Hurry!" Andrews shouted.

  "There, got it!" Daniels pressed the final button.

  The Un-Men froze as their dot-light faded for a few seconds, but then they powered back up and said, "Override
new command. Proceed with the capture of the Pandora Project."

  "What? No!" Daniels shouted. "It should have fried their processors." He hit the last command key several times. "Come on! Pucking work!"

  By the kitchen...

  "Too late!" Kat ran from Melissa, Stephanie, and Johnson to the cover of the white sectional couch as the Un-Men opened fire on her, and she dove to the floor as bullets riddled the leather and destroyed the TV.

  A small fire started within the big screen. Johnson drew his gun, grabbed Melissa, and dragged her into the kitchen while Stephanie remained, watching Kat in action. She was like a moth and Kat was the flame, Stephanie couldn't take her eyes off of her.

  Andrews and Daniels started to pull their guns, but two of the Un-Men shoved them, hurling the men across the room and into a wall. The two men hit hard and slid to a heap. They were behind Kat's position and close to the window facing the street. The Un-Men started toward her.

  On the opposite side of the room and up the stairs, Chad rushed out of the bedroom. He ran down the steps and halted at the bottom. "What's going on?"

  The two T-1s that Kat had dubbed Pretty Boys turned and saw the child, and Chad froze. They analyzed the child's face and said, "Take the boy. He will be useful in Pandora's capture."

  "Chad, run!" Kat shouted as the three T-2s pinned her down with gunfire.

  He froze, scared out of his mind as the Pretty Boys marched toward him.

  "No!" she yelled. "Leave him alone! Don't you hurt him!" Kat shouted as blue Ult L-E flared like waves from her eyes.

  Katharine's view...

  I grow desperate as I lean against the couch, waiting for a chance to react. No matter what, I have to save the boy even if it cost me my life.

  I think of Preacher and my heart calls for my beloved as determination growls within me like a hungry tigress stalking a herd of antelope. I'll soon sink my teeth into the Un-Men and annihilate them all!

  Chapter Twenty-five

  In A Bad Spot

  9:32 A.M...

  Katharine's view...

  Don't hurt Chad! Don't hurt him! He's all I have left. I cover my head, lying face down on the floor as the other Un-men fire at me.

  God, don't let him get hurt! I can't lose him, not after Preacher.

  End Katharine's view...