Vintage

The Aftermath

Warm water sprayed across Jade as she sat in her shower, cold tiles pressing against her back. Mindlessly, she scrubbed blood from her fingertips. Cucumber melon wasn’t an effective cleanser in removing dried blood. Her eyes felt tired, raw; she cried until her tear ducts were dried out like the Sahara desert. She didn’t have any tears left for her mother… now, it was the past.

She hugged herself, her mind trying to assemble what had happened tonight. Her mother wasn’t dead at the hands of Raven; she was Raven, a crazed nitwit. She was evil, crazy, and she kidn*pped Kira. She made a choice to leave her family.

“All these years, I spent longing for her.”

Jade’s hand turned off the shower faucet. She watched the water swirl down the drain. Twisting her lips, she was out of tears for the past. Jade sat in the shower until her skin puckered. She had a chance to fix her life, to finally leave the past behind. She couldn’t lose another moment.

Jade stood outside the conference room listening to Claire give orders about retrieving Kira from Raven. Her fingers twirled her damp braid. The droplets of water fell on her white T-shirt; she wiped her palms on her grey leggings. Her lips in a firm line, Jade entered the meeting.

She noticed Donovan standing next to Claire. A blank look on his face, almost cold. Kai looked down; he cradled a metal ladybug in his hands. Luke’s lips curled in disgust. Myron looked at Claire like he didn’t know her. She swore she saw tears glimmering in Evan’s eyes. Will watched something outside of the window.

“Tomorrow night we will strike at Raven’s hiding place. Hopefully, we can retrieve Kira.”

Hopefully, we can retrieve Kira. What the hell, does she mean? Hopefully, we can retrieve Kira. Our nutty mother kidn*pped Kira? Our father almost died protecting Kira. He kept muttering to go and save Kira. That cold-hearted b***h just said hopefully.

“Claire, we are saving Kira. Hopefully isn’t an option. Dad tried to save her. I didn’t spend the last hour scrubbing his blood off my fingers for a maybe rescue. Kira is coming home,” Jade shouted.

Claire offered a cool look. “Raven will kill her if we act rashly, Jade.”

Jade waved her hands in front of her. “Raven is our mother. Our mother is a nut. She tried to kill Daddy. I’ll be damned if she kills Kira. So, you’d better come up with a better plan. Raven knew how to lure her with Donovan. She knows us!”

“How did she do that, Jade?”

“She sent a text to Kira using Donovan’s phone.”

Claire smiled slightly, arching an eyebrow at Donovan.

“Someone must have stolen my phone during the gala.”

Claire flicked Jade away like a worrisome gnat. “Nothing changes.”

Jade’s eyes implored Donovan to say something. He stood like a statue.

“Whatever.” Jade stomped away. She took a calming breath. She clenched her jaw and headed in the direction of her Father’s personal suite.

Jade‘s hand rapped Charles’s suite’s door, nervously she waited for his response.

“Who is it?” Barry asked.

“Jade.”

Barry cracked the door slightly, “Just checking for Nadia.  She’s a taskmaster.”

Jade stepped into her father’s vast living area. She couldn’t look at the pictures from her childhood.

“Jade,” Charles called. “I’m in the bedroom.”

She padded to his bedroom door. Charles lay propped up against several fluffy pillows. His color was a bit pale. She could see a bandage under his pajamas. Her heart warmed when he offered her a hand. She reached his bed and embraced Charles tightly in her arms.

“Ouch,” Charles whined.

“Sorry, Dad.”

“No worries.”

Charles stared at his daughter for several moments. His hand rested on her face. She heard Barry’s steps as he sauntered back into the bedroom.

“I need answers.”

Charles held Jade’s hand loosely as she sat on his bed. Barry rested in an armchair close by.

“You want answers about your mother.”

“That would be the understatement of the hour, Dad.”

Charles leaned back in his pillows, a faraway look in his grey eyes. “Your mother was spectacular; she stole my heart away quickly. Maybe her body changed from childbirth or pregnancy. When Donovan was three, something was different in her. I loved her. She was my sun-she gave me warmth.”

Jade leaned forward. “What did she do?”

Charles closed his eyes in dismay.

“She became aggressive, started to shout at our meetings, and would throw objects at people. She would have complete meltdowns. Then, one time I went away on a mission. I arrived home to a destroyed house, clothes tossed around, dirty dishes in the sink, spoiled food on the kitchen counters. I found Clair clutching both of you with her hands.  I snapped, and we had a horrible row. We thought she had postpartum depression. It was much worse. I sent her away for a few weeks. Alice came to look after the three of you.

Jade searched her mind for that memory. She found nothing. “I don’t remember.”

“You were four. Claire was ten, she remembers everything. You and Donovan were spared the pain of your mother’s decline.”

“How did this happen?”

Charles stared at her in bafflement. “I just told you.”

“I meant before that, Daddy.”

Barry cleared his throat, “Let me, Charles. During the last great war, we constructed a weapon of mass destruction-the atomic bomb. We dropped it on Japan… twice.” Barry wiped a hand across his eyes. “I was a part of that team. One night, something large and luminous appeared in the sky… a spacecraft.”

“I know this.”

“Jade, be patient,” Barry chastised. “The Nurtasians came in peace. Besides, we could defeat them. Our allies met with those creatures. They expressed dismay at our actions. They claimed that we placed the world on a dangerous path. They offered gifts to help fight evil. We took their offerings- enhancements. We called ourselves the “Enhancer.” We were more than human, less than gods. It seemed ideal.”

Barry shifted in his seat. “We noticed in your father’s generation that things started to manifest.”

Jade frowned. “Manifest like what?”

“Jade, operatives went rogue. They were losing their minds and started to use their gifts for selfish purposes. Upon autopsy, we discovered a mutating gene. Some humans were not able to handle the gifts… it caused insanity and worse.”

Charles squeezed her hand. “That’s why I shut your mother down. I denied most of her requests. Her reactions were most violent towards me until that faithful day. She quarreled and raged against my father when he lead the team. I didn’t know that her mind was dangerous.”

Jade shook her head. “My mother is nuts?”

“No, she has rage in her… she knows what she’s doing.”

“Charles, tell her the truth.”

Charles lowered her eyes. “I’m terrified that one of the children inherited that gene like your mother. That’s why I forbade Donovan and Kira.” Charles looked into Jade’s eyes. “You and Myron.” He enjoyed the look of shock on her face. “I’m your father.  I was not born yesterday, naturally, I know. He’s a good man. Claire is colder than ice. Nothing would live in her. I kept a tight grip on my children. Then, she came back…”

“Wow, Dad.”

Charles tilted his head. “You aren’t going to scream.”

“No, I’m no longer the little girl who had her mother stolen from her. The b***h left us.”

Charles didn’t know if he liked this new attitude. Jade seemed to replace her feelings of loss with anger.

Both were dangerous.

“Jade, don’t be rash.”

“Charles is right… Kira cannot break that diamond.”

“They don’t need the money to fund their evil plans?” Jade asked.

Charles and Barry exchanged a tense look. Jade’s gut informed her that they were keeping something from her.

“Is there anything else that I should know?”

“No, Kira‘s powers are detrimental to her health.”

Jade arched her eyebrows. “Meaning?”

“Her inner ears are severely damaged from receiving sounds. Every time she babbles, it destroys her vocal cords. If she cracks that diamond, it could impair her vocal cords.”

“Well, a few days with a silent Kira isn’t a bad thing.”

“It might loosen her jugular vein causing her to bleed to death.”

“Oh, damn. I need to go.”

“Jade, I would say be careful. You won’t listen to an old fool.”

Jade dropped a kiss on Charles’s forehead. “Daddy, you wound me. I’m going to think about this. Then, I’ll hash out a plan.”

Charles shook his head. “Take Myron to retrieve Kira. He’s a good man, and you’re difficult.”

Jade looked at her father in bafflement. She couldn’t believe that he called her difficult. He was her father.

“Don’t waste a lot of money or create situations that need explaining.”

“I’m just going blow up my mother’s lair, save Kira, and be home for a light snack.”

Barry rolled his eyes. “I am too old for this.”

Charles shook his head. “Please, just the lair, nothing surrounding it, Jade.”

“Barry?”

“Yes, Jade.”

“Is there a cure for that gene thing?”

“Not for your mother. I have something that I need to test.”

Jade winked at her father as she departed his room.

Jade swallowed a scream when a hand pulled her against a wall. She gave Claire a strange look.

What the hell?

Seeing, Claire decked in black wasn’t surprising; it was her signature color. However, it was a bit astonishing to see her blonde hair stuffed under a cap. A black turtle neck and skinny black jeans completed her outfit.

Was she wearing sneakers? She owns sneakers?

“Claire, what the hell?”

Claire clamped a hand over Jade’s mouth to silence her.

“Listen swiftly, Jade. Someone in this building is a mole for Mother.  We have a traitor in our midst.”

Jade raised her eyebrows at her sister. Claire pressed harder against her mouth. Jade attempted to kick her sister, but she had their legs entangled.

“I’m the bad guy in your own personal world, Jade. I will always be older, prettier, and smarter. Those are facts that can’t be changed. I’m not a traitor. I love you… don’t know why. I love Dad and Donovan. As it stands, we have left Kira behind. I leave none of mine behind. We’re going to get her. Because, right now, you’re the only one that- I trust. That’s not saying a lot.”

Jade just stared at her sister. Claire dropped her hand and shoved a duffle bag into Jade’s arms. “Change in the car.” Claire calmly walked down the hall.

 Her auburn head whipped around. “Wait, I need to get something.”

“That damn sword is in the car.”

Jade offered a miffed look at Claire. “You spy on me?”

“No, I pay your bills.”

Life isn’t fair for the middle child. Charles forced her to drive a Land Rover. Claire had an impeccable black Porsche.

“Nice car,” Jade muttered.

“Please, be glad that you have a license, Jade. You have too many tickets in the Land Rover. Leave the console alone!”

Jade crossed her arms. “How did you know that we have a Mole?”

Claire weaved in and out of lanes. Jade’s mouth dropped. “Hit the old lady, will you!”

“Weeks ago, I had a tip that someone wanted to steal that diamond... then, the Intel changed to Radium. That was ludicrous. I noticed slight changes in our security system, nothing too major but small enough to go undetected.”

“How did you notice?’

“I couldn’t find a shipping notification from the Gap. I needed new khakis.”

Jade grinned.

Claire can be frivolous. She wears khakis?

“Besides, something about Raven’s picture reminded me of my mother. So, I superimposed the picture. There she was in her demented glory staring at me.”

“Was it painful?”

Claire turned her head to face traffic. “It was shocking to say the least.”

Jade could sense that Claire hid something from her. She decided not to press as they maneuvered through downtown traffic.

“What are we going to do?’

“Get Kira.”

“And?”

“Get Kira.”

“Steal secrets?”

“Get Kira.”

“Fine.”

Jade realized Claire was positively scary. She had forgotten that the wench could pop locks and make people fly around rooms. Jade watched in awe as Claire flung open the old glass door of the abandoned arcade house. With a slight flick of her wrist, a minion went flying into a dusty wall. She waved her fingers… the computer smoked and exploded.

Claire is a badass. Note to self, watch your mouth. Complete my purchase orders and press releases on time.

Claire looked over her shoulder. “Are you going to help or just stand around? Hurry up.”

“Just catching my breath, Clairy Fairy. Besides, you didn’t let me bring the Katana.”

“You could hurt someone with that blade.”

“Well, what did you intend me to do with it? Play Frisbee with it?”

Claire frowned causing Jade to beam at her sister. “Clearly, we should do this more often,” Jade pleaded.

Jade climbed over a man; her eyes looked at the destruction created by Claire. They would have to start a fire to cover up the mess.

“Claire, how did you know to come here?”

Claire licked her lips. She looked uncomfortable. A sad glimmer entered her deep brown eyes. “Mother brought us here... every weekend. It was her favorite spot.”

Jade racked her mind. “I don’t remember.”

“I’m the memory keeper. I remember everything… the keeper of the pain.”

“Did you know mum was alive?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“Part of being the oldest is being the keeper of painful family secrets.”

Claire looked ahead. “They have a mirrored room upstairs. Kira should be in there. We can get her out using the fire exit. Don’t make any noise.”

Jade knocked a vase over; splintering glass slammed their ears.

“I said QUIET!

Jade stared at her sister. She never practiced what she preached.

 Cracking the exit door slightly, Claire grabbed Jade’s arm when she attempted to rush into the mirror room. She placed a finger on her lips. Jade couldn’t handle multiple images of a shivering Kira with her arms wrapped around her legs, crying.

Claire motioned toward the door when it suddenly opened. Bright light shimmered off the mirrors as Donovan’s large frame filled the door.

“Kira,” Donovan whispered softly as he entered the room. “Don’t be afraid.”

Jade felt embarrassed as she watched Kira hurl herself at Donovan. Kira clung to her brother as his large hands rubbed her back.

“Calm down, Kira. I’m here. It’s okay.”

“I want to go home,” Kira whimpered through her tears. “I’m so afraid. I knew that you would come.”

Donovan tilted Kira’s head. Gently, he kissed her. Jade was relieved her brother was here to save the day. She didn’t know if they could pull off Kira’s rescue.

Kira smiled and rested her head on Donovan’s chest. Jade didn’t understand Claire’s death grip on her wrist. Backup was here, the day was saved without ruined booties or broken nails. Let’s torch this place and flee.

“We can go home as soon as you c***k the diamond.”

Kira pushed away from Donovan, staring at him like he was a stranger. “What?”

Donovan ran a finger down her damp cheek. “Break the diamond, we can leave. I was quite clear.”

“No, I can’t c***k the diamond….”

“Look, Kira, I have things to do. I don’t have time for your moral nonsense. Break the diamond. Then we can go off to our new life.”

“No, Donovan, what are you saying... new life, cracking diamonds.”

“Kira, I’m saying that I’m my own man. Free of Charles and Claire. Free of stupid rules. We can be together,” Donovan spat furiously. “I thought you loved me.”

“I do.”

“c***k the diamond.”

Kira shook her head furiously.

Donovan’s face contorted with disgust. “Stay here until you think about it. I can wait.”

 Jade’s heart cracked when Donovan pushed Kira in the direction of the dirty mattress. Kira looked dazed as Donovan stormed out. The door echoed his fury. She was thankful for Claire helping to maintain her balance.

“What the hell was going on?”