The Centre
Someone knocked at the door of Fletcher mansion.
Kyle Fletcher was inside with a book on his lap and a half-empty glass of wine by his side. He looked at the antique grandfather clock in his room - it was showing 11 PM. Kyle frowned. Who could it be? Someone from a rival company? An assassin hired to kill him?
The knock sounded once again. Kyle listened closely. It was gentle, yet vehement. He suddenly knew who the sudden visitor was. His face curved into a sly smile.
His parents, awfully rich businessmen, were on a long-term business trip abroad, so Kyle had the whole house to himself and didn't have to justify taking guests. He opened the main door; something small ran in immediately and hugged him tight.
"Oh, darling. I'm so glad to see you again," Kyle whispered as he gently fondled Marlene's hair. Marlene Sanchez, his girlfriend, was released from the hospital just today after spending a few days in a comatose state caused by a cursed song Kyle has released. He noticed that she was wearing a dress he bought her - a dark red piece with a deep cleavage and a split revealing her legs.
Kyle smiled again. When he bought the dress, Marlene deemed it as too revealing and refused to wear it. Now she seems to have no problems with it. Good, he thought. She's finally shaping to my ideas.
He got to know her as a petite Latino-american nerd with braces and unkept hair dressed in oversized sweaters. Now, in the dress, she looked completely different. Her dark brown hair was now brushed into waves, eyes of the same color highlighted by make-up. The dress revealed that she has actually a very nice figure. Even her breasts weren't as small as Kyle supposed.
Now this looks like something I can show with in public.
"You look gorgeous, my love," he said out loud.
Marlene smiled. "Do you think so...? Oh, thank you."
"You've been crying," Kyle noted.
"Yes... yes, I was," Marlene admitted.
"Why?"
"Because I lost a friend."
Kyle seated her on a couch next to him and offered her a glass of wine. She drank it without hesitation. The room was dim lighted and magnificent like a palace chamber with a firepace and expensive drawings of the most famous impressionist painters. Marlene loved it here. It seemed so romantic.
"It's about Alexis Warren, right?" Kyle asked.
Marlene nodded, surprised. "Do you know her?"
"I guess we had a talk or two. Tell me, what did she tell you?"
"Horrible things about you!" the girl started to cry again. "She... she said that it was you who was responsible for the comatosing! That you created an energy-draining song and kept the stolen energy for yourself! Please... please tell me it's not true."
"Of course not, darling. That Warren girl has gone insane from all that ghost-hunting she's doing. I have to tell you that she wants me. She keeps telling me that I can do better than date a fake nerd. She was flirting with me in Alien Youth and in the end, she came right here and when I let her in, she started undressing. I kicked her out of my house. I remained faithful, Marlene, but it's for sure that she'll want us to break up."
"That will never happen!" Marlene cried and hugged the man. "You are my only true love, Kyle."
That girl falls for everything, Kyle thought. Good. It may come in handy later.
"I've also never met anyone like you," he continued his manipulation. "Alexis Warren is completely unattractive. Those glasses, pale skin... I only satisfy with the finest," he began to caress Marlene's shoulders, continued on her collarbone and finally on her legs. The girl shivered, but didn't flinch.
"I still can't believe what did Alexis do to me," she murmured. "We were best friends all along. And now, she... it makes me wish everything was the same as before."
"Isn't this better?" Kyle asked.
"Yes, of course, but I... I want to remember Alexis as the kind girl that talked to me when no one else was. As my friend. I hope you understand..."
"Sometimes people aren't what they appear to be," Kyle said. "And now... what if we forget about Warren and take our relationship on the next level? I'm sure you're even more beautiful without that dress."
Marlene blushed. "W...what? We can't! I'm not ready! And I'm just seventeen! We..."
He put a finger on her lips to silence her, then kissed her hard. He watched her resistance fall apart with a sinister pleasure. "Let's pretend we are in Europe, where you're legal at fifteen," he said. "Besides that, nobody will know. It will be our little secret, my love."
"Are you sure...? Do you want it...?"
Of course I do, you prude little nerd. I'll tie you to me even tighter than before.
"Only if you're ready. I know it's an important decision and I won't force you."
Marlene started to think and Kyle was afraid that she'll flinch after all. But then Marlene pulled the dress' straps off her shoulders. The dress fell to the floor.
>><<
West Haven
"Sis, you can't be upset about her forever," Diane Warren said. "The food is more important."
"Damn!" Alexis cursed as soon as she smelled the burned omelette. She rushed to the cooker and tried to save as much as possible, but the damage was already done. She sighed resignedly and sweeped the destroyed food straight into the dustbin.
"I don't know you this way," Diane noted.
"What would you do if Anna turned her back on you?" Alexis barked.
"I know it's hard, but it's not the end of the world. She's blinded by that hot asshole who nearly killed us. He's just too damn good with girls. Don't worry, we'll manage to open her eyes somehow."
"Sacrificing a years-long friendship for a guy who only manipulates you," Alexis sighed. "Marlene... you weren't like that. You never were."
"Looks like she's gonna learn the truth about men in a hard way," Diane said. "Those hot ones are the worst. They can't value girls because if they lose one, they'll just get another one in a jiffy."
Alexis jeered. "Says the girl who flirts with every attractive guy in a 50-metre range."
"They may be an eye candy," Diane shrugged, "but I rarely mean it seriously. Sis, I'm not as shallow as you think. I consider more than look, even though it's also a factor. I would never fall for that jerk Kyle if he started manipulating me like he does with Marlene."
"The problem is that Marlene probably doesn't have an idea that she's being manipulated. I've seen Kyle two times and I already know that he's very skilled at what he's doing. Maybe if we didn't solve that case with Possessed, I'd sooner or later start believing that his love for Marlene is sincere." Alexis sighed and her hands started to shake. "If she listened to me, we could show her the reversed verse from Possessed, clearly spoken by Kyle's voice. But she refuses to even hear me out. She's blinded."
Diane smiled grimly. "I think we'll have more than enough chances to prove it to her. Kyle doesn't look like that kind of guy who threatens in vain. I've seen his eyes when he used the power of the heart. Thirsty. He tasted the occult powers and now he'll want more. I bet that he's making another evil plan right now."
Suddenly, someone knocked at the door.
"I'm going!" Alexis jumped off her chair and rushed to the door. Diane smiled - knocking usually meant a new client and that fanned the flame inside Alexis again. Some good ghost-hunting can't hurt, after all, she thought while Alexis was opening the main entrance.
"Oh, Alexis, my dear!" the thick-accented voice of Santiago Sanchez resonated through the whole flat. "I guess that there are more of us who'd want to talk to you... but ladies first, of course!"
"Thank you," a quieter voice sounded as its owner entered the flat. It was a plain-looking woman in her thirties with slightly tanned skin, green eyes and light-brown hair tied into a ponytail. She was wearing a simple green T-shirt and beige shorts.
"Warren sisters, paranormal investigation?" she asked.
"Yes, welcome!" Diane greeted the visitor with a handshake.
"Come in, Mr. Sanchez," Alexis invited the bulky man. "You can sit in the kitchen and have a coffee. We'll get to you in a minute."
"Gracias, gracias," Santiago yelled. He let Alexis lead him to the kitchen where he sat on the chair; the furniture protested against the man's weight with a loud creak. The girl turned on a coffee machine and soon the man was sipping on a hot espresso.
The sisters seated the woman in the living room and offered her something to drink, too. The visitor accepted a can of Coke. "I presume that you came for our services," Alexis said.
The woman nodded. "My name is Sandra. Nice to meet you."
Alexis seemed to forget about Marlene for a while; nothing could distract her better than a client. "So... your visit probably means that you are experiencing some kind of paranormal activity. Please explain your problem briefly so we get introduced to the situation."
"Well," Sandra answered, "it's more about my sister. No, more about my sister's child."
"Go on."
>><<
"The problem is that my nephew has an imaginary friend."
"Imaginary friend?" Diane said. "I'm afraid that this is problem for psychologists, not for us. Lots of children have imaginary friends and usually it's just a short phase."
"I know, I know," Sandra said impatiently. "I'm not that stupid. But I think that Kevin's imaginary friend is somehow... weird. He's telling Kevin strange things and I think there's no way that it could be just his imagination. Besides that... look."
The woman opened a photo on her cellphone. It depicted a young boy, three or four years old, in his room full of toys. The dark-eyed child with short blonde hair was holding two robots built of Lego and smiling for camera. But there was something strange about the photo. Something that looked like a fog surrounded the boy. With a bit of imagination, the fog was shaped like human head and shoulders.
"Wow... interesting ghost photo," Diane said. "It really does look like a man a little."
"Was anyone smoking while the photo was taken?" Alexis asked. "Or it could be caused by something warm, like tea or coffee. Or a condensed breath in cold weather. Can you rule out all these possibilities?"
Sandra thought for a while. "We are all non-smokers in our family, so that's not it," she said. "Look at those clock - it was 5 PM when the photo was taken; Kevin only drinks cocoa in the morning and before he goes to sleep. And the photo was taken in May, so it can't be due to cold weather either."
"So it looks like we have a mystery," Alexis mumbled. "Tell me more about his invisible friend."
"Kevin calls him Billy. He treats him like he was a member of the family and he doesn't want to understand that he's the only one who sees Billy. Kevin talks to him, plays with him. Every single day. The problem is... Samantha, my sister and Kevin's mother, says that sometimes Kevin knows about things he's not supposed to know. About her past, the time before Kevin was born. And Kevin insists that Billy told him."
Alexis nodded. "Sounds like a job for us. Please give me Samantha's address. Since we have... our own private business to settle, we'll be at your house tomorrow at two. Is that convenient?"
"Yes. Thank you," Sandra said. She said her goodbyes and left.
The brief expression of professional interest on Alexis' face faded quickly again when she returned to Santiago who was patiently waiting. She knew what would follow - something about Marlene. "Alright, so... what do you need, Mr. Sanchez?" she asked, tried to hide anxiety in her voice.
"It's about Marlene," the man wailed.
No surprise. Just as I expected.
"What's the matter with her?"
"She didn't come home. After she woke up from that coma... she only spent one day with us; then, at night, she just ran away and we didn't see her since. I had an idea... isn't she here?"
Alexis clenched her fists to slow down incoming anger. "No, but I know where she is."
"You do, my child? That's brilliant! Tell me!"
"She's most probably with her boyfriend, Kyle Fletcher. He lives in The Centre. I have to tell you something about him, Mr. Sanchez. It looks like Marlene's becoming... too dependant. She sees him as a perfect, almost divine being, while the truth is... well, we spoke with him at Alien Youth while we were solving the case of Teenage disease. He's not what he's pretending to be."
"But... why don't you talk to her?" the man wondered. "Those are so... girly things and I doubt she'd be willing to listen to her old father. Since Marlene met Kyle, she became... independant. Rarely talks to us."
Alexis sighed. "I already tried to convince her. She called me a liar. I'm afraid I lost her."
"Lost her?" Santiago exclaimed. "You are friends since you were little girls! You can't just lose her!"
The girl shrugged. "Well, I think that she chose Kyle over me."
Santiago's face went red. "Looks like I'll have to knock some sense into that rich playboy!"
"Just be careful, Mr. Sanchez. Kyle is powerful and influential. Remember, his parents are current owners of Arlington Logistic and Transportation, and..."
"And I'm just a Blue Street lowlife, right!" the man shouted. "When it comes to my daughter, money is pushed aside! I think I'm gonna have a small talk with that boy; I've never liked him. I said, I've never liked him! Thank you, Alexis. For everything. I'll bring Marlene back home!"
"Let's hope so," Alexis said, pessimistic at heart.
>><<
"Where are we going?" Diane asked, wandering alongside Alexis through the West Haven district.
"I need to talk to father," Alexis murmured.
Diane nodded. "You're right. We visit the old man usually only when we need something and I feel bad for him. Consulting the current events with him is a good idea."
After a short walk, they arrived to a clothes shop, seemingly not different from the rest. That was the intention since there was something special about the store. The clerk, a tall Afroamerican man in his fifties, smiled at them. "Dee and Alexis. Did you come to visit Reverend Warren?"
They both nodded. The clerk escorted them to the shop's warehouse. One of the wall panels was fake; the man removed it and revealed a hole leading to a staircase. The girls thanked the clerk and sneaked into the hallway; the man immediately put the fake panel back.
At the end of the staircase leading down to the underground, there was a huge hall. The one and only church of Gabriel's Gardens. There were no signs of electricity - only candles and torches illuminated the hall. There were wooden benches which were full of illegal believers on Sundays. In front of them stood a stone pulpit with a figure of crucified Jesus hanging above it.
Both girls felt so small in this illegal sanctuary, even though Diane would never admit that. It had to take lots of effort to build this shelter for religious people of Gardens. The church was mostly gray and undecorated, but it didn't steal from its monumentality. The sisters sometimes attended their adoptive father's sermons. He was a natural-born storyteller and even sceptical Diane listened to his biblical stories with interest.
"Oh... do I hear my dear girls?" a quiet, yet powerful old voice echoed through the wall. Then, Reverend Warren entered the room. He was already old, in his seventies, but still fit and vigorous, which was mostly seen in his lively dark eyes covered by reading glasses. His wrinkled, smiling face was framed by shoulder-long gray hair. He was wearing a black shirt with clerical collar and black pants.
"Father! Good to see you," Alexis shouted and hugged the priest. Diane did the same. Even though he wasn't their real father, they didn't have any reason to think about him in a different way. He took care of them since they were babies. He taught them everything they needed to know and raised two educated, well-mannered young women... even though he was a bit more successful with Alexis.
"I've heard about the miraculous cure of the Teenage disease," Warren smiled. "I think you have something to tell me about it, right?"
"Actually, we do," Diane said and started to tell their father the story of a cursed song. The holy man focused on their words and nodded as the sisters spoke. They came to the end and they had to explain Kyle's role in the case. Reverend Warren knew Marlene, so he was surprised when he heard about her betrayal.
"Please help me, Father," Alexis said, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I have to bring Marlene back. She'll destroy herself if she stays with Kyle. I can't let that happen."
Reverend grabbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes. There was something calming about his meek, steady gaze. The girl felt better instantly. "I'm afraid it's your battle to be fought, my child," he said. "I am just an old man who has spent the majority of his life preaching in an illegal church. But you are stronger than you think, Alexis. You can bring Marlene back. Do it for herself."
"Thank you, father."
"If you need any support, come to me anytime. Remember, you are God's chosen, and you too, Diane. With your gifts, I'm certain you'll be able to beat that man's ass."
"Father!" Diane gasped. "Isn't cursing a sin?"
Warren jeered. "After a whole life devoted to God, I think that it doesn't really matter if I use a curse word from time to time."
"I always knew you are cool," Diane laughed.
"I am going to give you this," Warren reached into his pocket. "Yes, it's dangerous to carry them in this city, but it seems that the things will become rough for you soon. If you carry these, you'll know that my prayers will always be with you." He gave both girls a small cross made of some kind of pure stone - a crystal. "Crystal responds very well with the power you've been gifted with. It may come in handy."
Alexis put the cross into her pocket and hugged the holy man once again. "Thank you, father."
>><<
The next day, the sisters were heading towards the Serenity Square district. In fact, Samantha lived close to Anna Lightfoot, a friend of both sisters who helped them a lot while solving the case of Teenage disease. "We can visit Annie when we finish this business," Diane suggested.
"Yeah!" Alexis nodded, smiling. Meeting their father gave her peace she needed the most. His soft voice and powerful words could always cheer her up. Diane noticed that her sibling was playing with a crystal cross between her fingers; the small pendant served as an anti-stress toy for her. Diane, though, caught herself doing the same three times after she received the cross.
They met Sandra sitting on a wooden bench near a white marble fountain in the centre of one of the district's squares. The fountains were popular in summer, always under siege of young children playing in the cold water. Sandra was watching the children with a nostalgic smile.
"Hello, Mrs. Kent," Diane greeted the woman.
"Oh, it's you," Sandra said. "I decided to wait for you here, I hope you don't mind. It's pretty hot today."
"That's alright," Alexis replied. "So, shall we see Kevin?"
Sandra led them to a small family house, a bit more luxurious than Anna's flat. The sisters noticed several items of "smart household" which could be controlled automatically using a computer or a smart device, as well as Li-Fi connection; it was the next generation of wireless internet connection which used the pulses of special lightbulbs - it allowed the devices to connect to faster and more stable network.
There was another woman waiting in the living room. She shared so much similarities to Sandra that it was without a doubt they were sisters. On the other hand, Samantha differed from her. Her hair were shiny, wavy and highlighted and she was wearing more make-up. Her attire consisted of blue tank top and black yoga pants.
"Sandra? It's you?" Samantha said, then looked at the trio and frowned. "Who's this?"
"Warren sisters, paranormal investigation," Sandra explained. "They are here to solve Kevin's... problem."
"And who asked you?" Samantha barked. "Kevin is just going through a phase. I don't want anyone to be nosy about our family business. I'll have to hear the remarks about having a crazy child!"
"Don't worry, Madam, we are really discreet," Alexis said.
"Unless I get a little drunk," Diane added.
"Shut up, Dee."
"Samantha, you know very well that it's not just Kevin's phase," Sandra said. "You have nothing to worry about, they'll just talk with Kevin a bit. And even though they may look young, they're pretty successful in this field. They know a lot about paranormal stuff."
The child's mother nodded slowly, but still looked anxious. "I think that a little talk can't hurt. Kevin is in his room. And Billy too, of course."
Sandra led the girls to Kevin's room full of toys and superhero posters. The floor became a minefield because the boy was playing with Legos, just as he did in the photo. "Oh, Auntie Sandra!" he said upon the sight of the woman. "Do you wanna see my new Bionicle? Billy helped me to build it!"
"I have a better idea!" Sandra said. "You'll show your Bionicle to your new friends, Alexis and Diane."
The boy critically gazed upon the sisters. "Wow, they're pretty!" he told the verdict.
Alexis blushed a little and sat next to him on his bed. "You're a natural-born gentleman," she said.
"I know!" the boy smiled proudly. "Billy taught me that I should be nice to girls."
"At least that entity's got some manners," Diane noted.
"We want to talk to you about Billy," Alexis continued.
"Oh yes!" Kevin shouted. "He's right here." He pointed at a carpet next to him. Diane took out a camera and took a few shots. The boy then turned to the blank space and smiled like he really saw something there. "Billy is my best friend," he explained. "We do everything together. He tells me interesting things."
>><<
Sandra left the room and left Kevin alone with Alexis and Diane.
"Which kind of interesting things?" Alexis asked.
Kevin shrugged. "Various things. About what I should and shouldn't do. He's sometimes like mommy. But funnier. And he tells me things about mommy, too. Yesterday, he said a funny thing - that mommy slept with other men for money. Why would anyone spend money to sleep with someone? The bed must be really uncomfortable for two, right?" he giggled.
The sisters exchanged confused looks.
"Did he tell you more things about mommy?" Diane asked.
"No. Well, he did, but he told me to not talk about it. He's already angry because I said the thing with sleeping. I have to be careful, or Billy will go away." Kevin listened closely for a moment, then smiled again. "Billy forgives me that sleeping thing. But he doesn't want you here. Sorry."
"Why?" Diane frowned. "Does Billy have something against us?"
Kevin shrugged again. "It's not about me. I like you. But Billy doesn't. He says that you are too nosy. And he says that if you don't leave, he'll go away."
Alexis sighed. "So you want us to leave?"
The boy nodded seriously. "You are nice, but I don't wanna lose Billy because of you. And he's telling me that if I keep talking about mommy things he tells me, I'm gonna pay. I don't know why Billy wants my money. All I got is ten dollars in my piggybank. I want to save for another Bionicle, just like this one, but green!"
The girls said goodbye to Kevin and left the room. After they closed the door, Diane activated her powers, receiving heightened senses. Kevin was saying something, but only Diane now knew what it was.
"Don't worry, Billy," the boy said. "They won't come here again. Wait... no! I can't do that, it would hurt! I'll make sure they won't come again, I promise!"
"Looks like the entity is more malevolent that we thought," Alexis muttered. "Telling a small child that his mother was a prostitute... that's not how a normal imaginary friend behaves."
Sandra reunited with the girls. "So... what did you find out?" she asked quietly so her sister wouldn't hear her.
"There's really something wrong with Billy," Alexis replied. "We have to ask you something... in private. Would you mind if we go to the fountain again?"
"Not at all." They all said goodbye to Samantha and left the building. After a short walk, they arrived to the fountain and sat in one of the neat, small gazebos. Diane bought a hot-dog in a stand and now she was munching on it. Alexis scolded her with a cold look saying Not during the working hours.
"So... what did you need to ask me?" Sandra said.
Alexis whispered so no one else could hear her. "I don't want to offend you, but Kevin said that Billy told him... basically, he hinted that Samantha was a prostitute."
She expected a negative reaction from Sandra, but the woman just made a grim face. "Well, Samantha was always the troublesome one and I didn't get on with her very well. We parted ways when we were eighteen. I stayed in Los Angeles where I was born, she moved here, to Gabriel's Gardens. We didn't know anything about each other for a very long time... until Samantha gave birth to Kevin. She needed me to come here and help her to take care of the child. I buried the old quarrels between us and came."
"Who is Kevin's father?"
Sandra shrugged. "Who knows. Samantha never talked about him and I didn't pry. The thing is... yes, it's possible that she made money using her body and maybe she didn't protect herself well enough with one of the men. But she has changed now. The child calmed her down."
"Is there any way Kevin could find out about her past?"
"No. She never talked to anyone about this phase of her life, the less with Kevin. What mother would want their son to know she was selling herself?"
"The question remains," Diane added, "how could Billy know about it?"
>><<
Back home, Diane transferred the photos she took into the computer. She examined them closely.
"Do you have something? Another shadowy figure?" Alexis asked.
"Almost," her sister replied. "Look at this." One of the photos depicted Kevin looking at "Billy". There was a strange, seemingly transparent white ball floating exactly in Kevin's line of sight.
"An orb," Alexis mumbled. "Some say they're only pieces of dust floating in front of the lens. Others say that they can represent souls of the deceased. Depends on how much do you believe in paranormal stuff. But look at this one... it seems like Kevin is looking right at him."
"So... let's go through the evidence," Diane said and opened Sandra's photo with the strange fog. "We now have two seemingly paranormal photos regarding Billy. It may be a coincidence or a camera error, but why would it happen two times? Also, we have Billy's profile. Sort of. Imaginary friends usually behave like children, but Billy reminds me more of a grumpy adult man who apparently knew Kevin's mother very well."
"Step one, we have to find something about Samantha so we can prove Billy's words," Alexis said.
They began to search for Samantha Kent. No viable results were found.
"Let's ask Annie," Diane suggested. "We wanted to visit her anyway, right? Maybe she can help us."
One more trip to Serenity Square district. They found Anna's flat and knocked at the door. It was opened by Augustus, Anna's grumpy older brother. He rolled his eyes. "Don't you wanna move here?" he mumbled instead of greetings. "You're visiting Anna way too often for my taste."
"It's important," Alexis said. Gus sighed and let them in.
Fortunately, Anna was more welcoming. "Dee! Alexis!" she bursted out. "I wanted to congratulate you for solving the Possessed case! Let me guess. You got dipped into something again and you need my help."
"You know us pretty well already," Diane teased.
Anna guided her wheelchair to the computer. "I'm all yours!" she said. "What is it now? Another cursed song? Or something more challenging?"
"We are looking for a woman," Alexis explained and briefly introduced Anna to the case. The paraplegic girl listened closely. Her face curved in disbelief when the sisters finished.
"So, you want me to find out whether that... thing was right and Kevin's mother was really... erotic escort." Alexis noticed Anna was blushing during the talk about this delicate topic. Adorable, she thought.
"That's exactly what we need," Diane nodded.
"Well, as far as I know, these kinds of women don't use real names. I've seen it in the movies. But I can initiate a picture search. All I need is that woman's photo. A little computer magic will do the rest."
The sisters didn't have any photo of Samantha Kent available, so they texted her sister Sandra. The woman replied almost immediately and sent them a selfie of Samantha and Kevin. Anna opened a graphic program, cut out Kevin and the background and left only Samantha's face. Then she opened an internet search tool - not like Google, this one was more sophisticated and advanced. She uploaded the photo into the system and waited.
"If you use Google Image Search," Anna explained, "it'll only find identical or similar pictures. This software can scan the face and find it on the Internet even if the photo was younger or her expression was different. If your photo is on the web, this guy will find it!"
"Cool!" Diane said. "I have lots of hot guy photos in my phone, do you think..."
Before she could finish, the program announced the results. It offered them lots of photos, but mostly selfies and pictures from various parties. One of them was different, though. Kevin's mother was younger there, laying on a bed in a dimly lit room wearing a white blouse and skirt.
Anna clicked on the photo. "Sexy S-Little flaunts her flawless body," she read the caption. The webpage contained a picture gallery - young Samantha was undressing her clothes until she posed fully naked. Alexis and Anna blushed. "Oh dear," Diane uttered.
"There are also some videos," Anna noted with a blank expression. "Do you wanna watch them?"
"Not really," both sisters said in unison.
>><<
"At least we have a proof," Alexis said. "After arriving to Gabriel's Gardens, Samantha Kent started selling herself. For pleasure, for money... who knows. She apparently started with erotic photos, then she moved to porn movie industry. It's highly probable she could become a prositiute soon after."
"One question remains," Diane pointed. "How could Billy know?"
"I'm starting to think 'Billy' is a real person," Alexis replied. "Maybe someone who had an affair with Samantha. But that would mean he is..."
"Dead," Diane finished. "So it's not only imaginary friend. That place is haunted."
"It's no wonder that only Kevin sees him. Children tend to be very sensitive to paranormal encounters. Children and animals can actually spot a ghost or other paranormal entity when no adult can. If you see a baby or a dog staring blankly at the corner of the room, they probably see something."
"Your job seriously gives me creeps," Anna noted.
"We should head back to Kents and do some investigation," Alexis decided.
"Say it once again," Anna begged. "I love the way you say it."
"It's her favorite word," Diane smirked.
Alexis leaned towards Anna. "In-ves-ti-ga-tion," she whispered. "Satisfied?"
Their eyes met for a moment and it resulted in an awkward stare contest which lasted for a few seconds before Alexis realized that she's probably too close to the paralyzed girl. "Sorry," she said.
"That's alright," Anna smiled. "Did anyone tell you that you have lovely eyes? You should boost your self-esteem a little, Alexis."
The girl blushed again and fixed her glasses. "Thanks, I guess?"
Diane raised her hands in a surrender gesture. "I ain't commenting on that."
Alexis was saved by her cellphone which started to ring (Bittersweet Symphony from The Verve). The girl frowned. "It's Mr. Sanchez," she uttered and answered the call. "Hello? Alexis Warren here." She turned the speakers on so everyone could hear.
"You were right, my dear!" Santiago's thick-accented voice resonated through the room. "Marlene is gone. My precious little daughter is gone. That hijo de la puta... that Kyle. You were right. He owns her now and I have no idea how to bring her back!"
"What the hell are you watching? Turn the volume down!" Gus shouted from the neighbouring room.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Sanchez, but I can't do anything about it right now," Alexis said.
"She'll have to figure out herself how manipulative bastard is she dating!" Diane added.
The man started to cry. Girls were clueless about what to do - they always knew that bulky man as an infinite source of peace and good mood. The loss of his daughter - even though only partial - broke him.
"I'll see what I can do," Alexis promised. "Be sure that I'll do whatever it takes to bring Marlene back to you... back to us. I still think that she has some hope. We only have to prove Kyle's guilt to her."
"Thank you, thank you," Santiago wailed. "God bless you, Alexis Warren." Call ended.
"I was actually digging some info about that guy," Anna said. "Kyle Fletcher. I have to say that he's really charming. I'm afraid that even if you prove Marlene he's guilty, he'll be able to justify it and manipulate Marlene into helping him with further crimes. You know, making her believe that he's doing the right thing."
"Sounds exactly like his style," Diane spat out.
"Besides, I found this," Anna continued and pulled out a sheet of printed paper. It was an article from well-known online newspaper of Gabriel's Gardens. A Prominent Boy Accused of Death Threats, said the caption. It was a case opened three years ago. The man who owned the Alien Youth bar that time reported that Kyle Fletcher was sending him threatening e-mails; Kyle threatened to murder him unless he did some unspecified action.
Results? Kyle was found innocent and the man was found dead a few weeks later. Everyone knew Kyle was guilty, but his lawyers did an excellent job and cleaned him. "Very interesting," Alexis uttered.
>><<
They decided to put the "Case Billy" on a short hiatus and visited The Centre instead. Anna insisted to go with them ("Or more likely... ride with you," she joked). Despite her handicap, she was fully independant; she navigated the wheelchair like a virtuoso and managed to overcome all problems.
All problems with one exception - stairs. In that case, Alexis helped her, gently and carefully, in order to not harm the wheelchair's owner.
"You aren't that nice even to me, and I'm your sister," Diane noted.
Anna smiled innocently. "Maybe she'll treat you this way if I break your legs, Dee."
"In that case, I think I'll settle with having no sisterly love."
The girls continued to mock each other, but it was only to hide their nervosity. Alexis remembered the last time she spoke with Marlene: she was screaming at her to leave her hospital room. And Kyle? Kyle was trying to kill them with the power stolen from thousands of people.
The outlooks didn't seem good.
They passed the Angel Square with a magnificent statue of a naked girl with wings.
"This is probably the only beautiful thing about The Centre," Anna said. "When I was little, I used to pray to this statue to heal my legs. Until the police caught me and fined my brother for illegal displays of religious behavior. I haven't prayed since then."
"Are you religious?" Alexis asked.
The paraplegic girl nodded. "But after that accident... I just started to question it all. The God, the miracles. When I was little, before the accident, mom told me that bad things don't happen to good people." She jeered and looked at her immobile legs dressed in a knee-long black skirt. "Bullshit."
Alexis didn't even try to correct her language. "Maybe we know a place where you'll be able to pray freely," she said. "If you still believe."
"I can try."
They finally approached the Fletcher mansion.
Huge, luxurious, resembling theme park more than actual place for living. Alexis felt a sudden urge to burn the place down, but she controlled her emotions and knocked on the door instead. A minute ago, Kyle opened the door with a sly smile, looking flawless as usual.
"Look," he chanted. "Warren bitches and some kind of cripple. What a low society."
Diane lashed out and bursted through the entrance, her insignia glowing. She pushed Kyle's back against the wall and pressed against his throat with her elbow. "You," she hissed. "You will now let Marlene go. Now you don't have any superpowers or stuff, so speak your mind quickly."
"My love! Help me!" Kyle emmited a choked shout. A moment ago, Marlene rushed into the entryway from upstairs. Alexis gasped. This wasn't her friend for sure.
Marlene was wearing noticeable make-up and revealing, dark-red dress. She looked like a beauty from a cheesy Argentinian soap opera. Her face was curved with intense fear - she was holding a razor on her wrist. "Don't hurt him!" she screamed. "Don't hurt him or I will hurt myself!"
Alexis was speechless. Diane had to release Kyle who started to cough. Then, he kissed Marlene gently as she, breathing heavily, put down the razor. "Thank you, my beloved," he whispered, then turned to the trio. "What the hell do you think you are doing? Is the fact that Marlene is really happy so unbearable to you? Now leave my house and I'll consider not calling the guards!"
Anna advanced forward and threw a sheet of paper to the ground. "This is your Kyle!" she shouted. The man reached for the page, but Marlene was faster. She read the headline and her eyes widened in terror.
"Keep calm, my dear," Kyle said. "I can explain."
Alexis made a last stand. "Marlene, this is the truth about Kyle. He's evil. See? He manipulated you so much you were able to kill yourself for him! And remember that case with Possessed. He was responsible for that, too. Please, Marlene. Leave him and return to your family! Dad misses you so much."
Marlene looked like bursting into tears any time soon. "GET OUT!" she screamed. "Quickly before I call the guards!" Kyle raised his hand to console her, but Marlene flinched.
>><<
"Considering the expectations, it went surprisingly well," Diane said. "There is a little chance that after reading the article, she'll understand and dump that sucker."
"But the bigger chance is that she becomes his partner in crime," Anna uttered.
"Let's leave it for now," Alexis said in a dull voice. The vision of her friend threatening to slit her wrists hurt her more than the blade possibly could. "It's up to Marlene right now."
"Yeah. Let's go home."
Instead of heading straight to West Haven, Alexis insisted on escorting Anna back to Serenity Square first. Diane didn't refrain from sarcastic comments, but deep inside, she agreed that travelling alone in the evening isn't safe for a paralyzed girl, no matter how independant Anna tried to look.
Anna thanked them with a warm smile. Alexis suddenly found it hard to say goodbye to her. She was like her and Diane combined - educated and witty, but also ironic and sassy. She suddenly started to imagine her and Diane leaving their small flat in West Haven and moving to Anna's home. Since the parents of Anna and Gus lived there before they died, it means it's big enough for four.
Then she'd be able to improve their way of living and meet her new friend every day. Even though Alexis wouldn't admit it, she was a little jealous of Diane that she got to know Anna earlier. She also wanted all these funny stories and inside jokes only Anna and Diane understood.
It's not too late to form a similar bond with her, she thought.
Anna smiled at them and, like she was reading Alexis' mind, she said: "You are gonna visit the Kents tomorrow again, right? They live just a ten minutes walk away from my place. If you spent the night here, you wouldn't have to pay for TEx again."
"That would be great!" Alexis cheered. "But... wouldn't Gus be angry about this?"
"Nah, don't worry about him," Anna laughed. "He's like a dog who barks, but doesn't bite."
"That's good to know."
Alexis was right, Augustus wasn't very happy about the sleepover. Anna explained that it's important for the sisters' job while exaggerating a little (okay, exaggerating a lot). Her storytelling skills were so good that Augustus seemed actually interested in the topic.
"So ghost hunters, uh?" Gus mumbled. "Just make sure to bring no paranormal mumbo jumbo into our flat and you're free to stay here. Honestly, your job is giving me creeps and the less I know, the less they can beat out of me. So I'd appreciate if you did your business in private."
"You don't want to say you're scared, right?" Anna mocked him.
"I just don't like ghosts. That's all." Then he walked away.
Diane smirked. "It almost makes me wanna pull a prank on him. We already have solved many cases of fake haunting, so we know how to arrange a nice theatrical perfomance."
"Maybe some other time," Anna laughed. "You know, Gus is pretty sensitive and if he takes the prank too seriously, he could ban you from coming here. And I don't want that to happen."
Even though they decided to not pull any ghost prank on Gus, it didn't stop them from discussing the best way of doing so. The sisters already knew that the people who fake haunting are often really creative and crafty. Anna listened to them; she loved when they told her stories from their job.
They chatted until it was time to sleep. Fortunately, Anna's flat had several unoccupied beds which Alexis and Diane could use.
"Goodnight, Annie," Alexis said. "And thanks for letting us sleep here tonight."
"I'm glad to have you here," Anna smiled. "In case a ghost shows up, you'll kick its ass."
Even though the guest room's bed was more comfortable than the ones sisters had in their flat, Alexis couldn't sleep. Maybe a full moon, looking at her through the window, was responsible for it. Or maybe it was the sight of Marlene holding a razor, still lingering in her mind.
The chances of saving the girl narrowed every day. Or was it already late?
She had no choice but go on a short walk around the house, hoping she won't wake up anyone. As she walked past Anna's room, she noticed an artifical light penetrating the glass panelling of her door. Anna must be still awake, too. Alexis took a deep breath and knocked at the door.
"Come in," Anna said quietly. Alexis opened the door and sneaked in. Anna was laying in her bed wearing a blue nightgown with a tablet computer in her hands. "I hoped that you'd show up," she said.
"Can't sleep?" Alexis asked.
"Yeah."
"Me neither," Alexis sat on the side of the bed and began to look at Anna's photos and paintings which looked completely different at night, illuminated only by the moon's dim light. This lighting also made the blue in Anna's eyes even more intense. Alexis thought that her face, even though far away from conventionally perfect, is also a little work of art; her eyes, pointy nose, shoulders sprinkled with freckles...
"You're staring at me like there was something interesting about me," Anna noted.
"Sorry," Alexis blushed a little. "I got lost in my thoughts."
"I bet you're thinking about that Fletcher dude," Anna guessed. "He's creepy. Your friend, Marlene, looked like... brainwashed or something like that. I admit that I've already been in love, but seeing someone so dependant and blindfolded... I'll do whatever it takes to help you stop him."
"Thanks, Annie. But I think Marlene isn't my friend anymore. She changed too much. I'm afraid she crossed the point of no return. She used to be cute, sweet and nerdy, and now? She's throwing away her whole personality to impress Kyle. That's just not fair."
"Coincidentally, I know someone cute, sweet and nerdy who could be your new best friend."
Alexis raised her eyebrows. "Who?"
"Me," Anna smirked. "Well, Dee is a great friend and I already know her for a long time. But you know her, right? You always have to play tough with her. She's... not very sensitive. I probably need also someone gentle, who'd just sit next to me and listen quietly. Even though I act cool, I'm also sad and depressed about my parents and my condition sometimes. I think I can employ you, Alexis."
Alexis smiled. "What would my earnings be?"
"Being my friend is already an awesome earning!" Anna laughed.
"Okay, so let's start the first therapy session with Dr. Alexis Warren. You said you've been in love, Annie. Who was it?"
Anna blushed. "Such personal questions right from the start! Sorry, but I'm not telling since it would probably reveal more than I'd want anyone to know."
Alexis teased, "Was it a serial killer? Or a fictional character?"
"It wasn't, and stop prying!" Anna laughed. "I can return the fire, you know? What about your love life?"
"The same as you. I was in love, but I ain't sharing."
"This is a waste of time," Anna said. "Tell me some more ghost stories."
Alexis looked dead into her eyes. "Warning. They may scare you to death."
Anna returned the gaze. "At least they won't be as scary as your outfits."
Warren girl bursted in laughter. "I see that Dee taught you pretty well." She started telling her about more of their cases. Anna then proceeded to openly speak about her handicap and loss of parents. It was a miracle that she managed to stay strong so far. Alexis couldn't help but hug her. Then they finally fell asleep.
>><<
Alexis really wasn't used to waking up next to another girl in a bed.
"Annie, quickly," she hissed. "If someone saw us, we'd have awfully lot of explaining."
Anna shrugged. "A sisterly hug, so what? You don't hug Diane?"
"Usually only when we're fighting for the remote."
Since Diane had tendencies to sleep in, Alexis managed to sneak from Anna's room and get into her own, where she got dressed. Gus was already in the kitchen, staring blankly at a pile of cooking ingredients.
"I can cook for you today if you wish," Alexis offered.
"That would be much appreciated," Augustus said and Alexis saw him smiling for the first time. The girl began preparing a simple kung-pao with chicken, noodles and vegetables. Later that day, she served the lunch and harvested the praise from everybody including Gus.
"Lex, that was brilliant," Anna said. "I think you should cook for us more often."
"I'd be able to pay someone who'd take my cooking shifts," Gus agreed. "It's gruelling work."
"I'll think about it, but now we have to leave," Alexis announced. "We have a job ahead of us and we can't wait any more or we won't get our revenues." The sisters said goodbye to the Lightfoots and walked across the Serenity Square to the house of Kents.
"Mrs. Kent? It's us," Diane said to the intercom. "We're here to learn more about Billy."
Sandra Kent let them in. "It's getting worse," she said. "Kevin spends most of the time in his room talking to Billy. I can't hear what Billy says, but judging from Kevin's responses, it's something scary. Like they were talking about intense violence, something Kevin can't comprehend yet."
Alexis nodded and headed into Kevin's room. The boy was there and immediately noticed them. There was something strange in his look. Sinister. Something inappropriate for a child. "It's you," he muttered instead of a greeting. "Billy told me to not talk with you again."
"It's fine, Kevin," Alexis said with a smile. "I think Billy wouldn't mind just this once."
"Is that so, Billy?" Kevin looked at the air next to him. For a second, his eyes widened in fear. Then he nodded. "Okay. Just a while. And close the door!"
The sisters obeyed the boy's request and stepped in. Kevin was playing with his Bionicles again. Diane picked up a Lego warrior in a green armor with two giant blades in his hands. "Oh good, you have the green one you wanted!" she cheered. "Wow, this guy is cool!"
"I know!" Kevin smiled proudly. "I built him myself. Okay... Billy helped me a bit."
"Okay, listen up," Diane said. "If you tell us something about Billy that he doesn't want us to know, I'll buy you another one. Maybe the blue one, I saw him in the store. Deal?"
Kevin seemed to consider the offer. Then he turned at Billy. "He says no," the boy yowled. "I'd love to have the blue one. But Billy would hurt me if I told something forbidden."
Diane frowned. "Hurt you? How would he do it?"
"Spank me!" Kevin excalimed. "Just like mommy when she drinks her smelly water."
"Smelly water?" Alexis wondered. "What is it?"
"This!" Kevin opened one of his toyboxes and began to dig inside until he pulled out a bottle of vodka. "I sometimes steal smelly water from mommy," he explained. "Billy said I'm a good boy when I do so. Mommy is grumpy when she drinks smelly water. Tells things I don't understand. Spanks me for nothing. At least she doesn't do that when Auntie Sandra is here."
"So it seems that Samantha's also an alcoholic," Alexis whispered.
"Oh yes! That alco... word," Kevin bursted out. "That's how Billy calls mommy. She also calls her mean names, but I mustn't repeat them."
"Does Billy have a surname?" Diane asked. "You are Kevin Kent. And Billy is...?"
The boy shrugged. "He never told me. He's just Billy."
"How does Billy look like? Do you have a picture?"
"Of course!" Kevin reached for a sheet of paper and handed it to Diane.
It was a child drawing of Billy, a short stick figure with yellow needles instead of hair. Next to him stood a taller figure, smiling, holding something pointy and yellow in its hand. It clearly had blue eyes and black hair which seemed like tied into a ponytail. The figures were standing on some kind of meadow, with flowers, birds and a big sun above their heads.
"What's Billy holding?" Alexis asked. "A star?"
Kevin nodded. "Yes, he has a star. He holds it and plays with it. He never told me what it is. And now you should go. Billy said you have to."
"Why is Billy so mean to us?"
"I already told you, you are too nosy. Billy doesn't like nosy people. No... Billy, no! Wait! I'm sorry! I'll make them leave, I promise!" Then he turned to the sisters. "Get out, quickly! Billy will disappear if you don't! Get out! GET OUT!"
"Kevin..." Alexis tried to soothe him, but the boy was hysterical. He grabbed the bottle of his mother's vodka and attacked Alexis with it. He swinged the bottle like it was a hammer and hit the girl's shin. Alexis gasped with pain and surprise. Fortunately, Kevin wasn't strong enough to cause serious injuries.
The door opened and Sandra entered the room. "What's happening here?" she shouted. Then she saw red-faced Kevin with a bottle of alcohol in his hands. Her face went white. "What...?"
"This is Samantha's," Diane pointed at the bottle. "Billy told Kevin to make us leave. He attacked Alexis with the bottle."
"You snitch," Kevin spat out.
"Wait... Samantha still drinks?" Sandra frowned. "Oh no... she used to abuse alcohol when we were younger. She was an aggressive drunk."
"Kevin told us that mommy spanks him for no reason when she drinks," Alexis said. "Do you think...?"
Sandra turned Kevin around, rolled up his shirt and dropped his pants. "Auntie! You're emburu-bara..." he was trying to say embarassing me, but Sandra didn't mind. All women gasped. Kevin's back and buttock were covered by dark blue bruises.
"Oh my god..." Sandra whispered.
"That's nothing," Kevin smiled. "Billy said that a man has to endo... endure pain."
The boy's aunt grabbed the bottle and rushed into the living room. "Samantha!" she shouted. "I thought you stopped years ago! How could you? How could you beat my nephew? And don't try to deny it. Kevin is all bruised. I'm calling the social care!"
"How did you get this?" Samantha hissed.
"Kevin has been stealing the alcohol from you! He's a good boy, but you're not a good mother. Kevin will now go with me and you can choke on your booze!"
Samantha stood up furiously. "You're not taking Kevin anywhere!"
Sandra gave her a cold gaze. "Try to stop me." Then she shouted: "Kevin! You're going on a little holiday with Auntie! Pack your things and wait for me."
"Yahoo!" Kevin cheered. "Can I take my Bionicles?"
"Of course, but only as much as you can carry in your backpack."
"You can't take my son!" Samantha howled and attacked Sandra out of desperation. Diane used the power of her insignia to stop the woman and tackled her on the couch, carefully, to avoid any injuries. Samantha was crying. "Please... not Kevin. He's all I have."
"Now you have some time to decide what do you love more," Sandra uttered. "Your son, or booze?"
She turned away from her sister. Her, Alexis, Diane and Kevin left the house and Samantha remained alone.
>><<
"I'm still so angry," Sandra grumbled. "I have to admit she's really inventive. I've never seen her drunk, so she must've been on the bottle when I was gone. Kevin... why didn't you say something?"
The boy, with a backpack stuffed with Lego warriors, shrugged. "Billy told me to endure it. And mommy said that if I tell Auntie about the smelly water, she'll spank me even more. But she didn't tell anything about Lex and Dee, so I could tell them."
Diane laughed. "Probably a future programmer."
"What are we gonna do now?" Alexis asked.
"I have a small flat in North Haven," Sandra replied. "I live there when Samantha doesn't need help with Kevin. It's not as luxurious as Samantha's house, but I think we can survive there for a few days."
"Auntie's place is great!" Kevin said. "She has lots of old videogames! Shall we play Pac-man?"
"Of course," Sandra smiled. "What about some ice cream?"
"Ice cream!" the boy shouted. "Yes!"
There was a small ice cream stand near the TEx station. Sandra ordered the snacks and reached into her pocket for her wallet, but she dropped it. "Oh god, I'm so clumsy," she rolled her eyes.
Diane reached for the wallet. It opened in her hands and revealed a few banknotes along with photos of Samantha, Kevin and an unknown man. The photographed man had a sharp face, piercing blue eyes and black hair tied into a ponytail. Diane raised her eyebrows and showed the photo to Alexis.
Judging from her surprised look, both girls thought the same. The man on the photo vaguely resembled Billy on Kevin's drawing.
"Who's this man?" Diane asked and pointed at the photo."
"Oh... that's Grant, my former fiancé," she said with a sad expression. "He was a great man. Love of my life. However... he used to be a police officer and one day, he just didn't return home. The police was searching for him, but found nothing. He's presumed dead."
"I'm sorry," Alexis said. "It must've been hard."
"It definitely was," Sandra nodded. "We wanted to have a child... now you see why I am so protective about Kevin. He's the only child I can take care of. Sometimes I think it'd be better if he lived with me... as you saw today, you can't rely on Samantha. She's too wild. She doesn't even know whose child Kevin is... or she just refuses to tell me."
"If a buzzsaw cuts off your finger, you also don't know which tooth exactly it was," Diane smirked.
"Diane! That's just nasty," Alexis scolded her.
"But it's true," Sandra said. "Considering her past... it was only a matter of time before some accident happens." She spoke quietly, so Kevin couldn't hear her. The boy was busy with his vanilla-flavored ice cream.
"One thing is now certain," Alexis noted. "Billy is a real person, probably deceased. Someone who knew Samantha really well, maybe one of her past lovers. Kevin's not going to like this, but I think we'll have to get rid of him. Kevin said that Billy speaks rudely about Samantha. I've already met some vengeful ghosts and they weren't anything nice. And now, he got so close to a child. It's dangerous."
"How are you gonna do it?" Sandra asked.
"First of all, we have to know Billy's identity and find out more about his relationship with Samantha. Then, maybe, we'll be able to talk him into leaving voluntarily. If he doesn't... well, we have some more sophisticated ways of sending the ghost to the other side where he belongs."
"Remember the first rule about ghosts," Diane raised her index finger. "A person who passes away peacefully usually doesn't become a ghost. They are people who either died a violent death or left some big task unfinished. Then, their souls are bound to this world until someone helps them."
Alexis smiled. "I give you an A+. You're finally starting to learn."
"Thanks, sis," Diane grinned. "But in this case, it won't be so easy. You know, that Billy isn't really fond of us and I'm afraid he'd be able to actually harm Kevin. We'll have to proceed carefully."
"That were two intelligent sentences in a row," Alexis smirked. "You broke your personal record."
Diane rolled her eyes. "So funny I forgot to laugh."
>><<
Sandra's flat in North Haven was small, yet pleasant. It was a bit similar to the sisters' flat in West Haven, probably because the builders used the same plans for all blocks in the Haven district. The flat was filled with various posters and references from the 90's, including posters of Nirvana and Guns'n'Roses.
Her biggest treasure, however, seemed to be an old game arcade with Pac-man.
"Wow! Can I play?" Diane bursted out. "I've never seen one of these things so far!"
"But I wanna play, too!" Kevin yowled.
Sandra smiled at him. "What about letting our guest play first?" she suggested. "You won't be returning to mommy for a few days at least, so you'll have plenty of time to play."
"Okay," Kevin nodded. "I'm glad I'm here. You're nice, Auntie Sandra. Well, mommy is nice, too, until she drinks the smelly water. Then she spanks me and tells me mean things."
Sandra gently stroke the boy's hair. "Don't worry. You will be safe here. I don't drink the smelly water, so I will be always nice to you. Okay?"
"Okay!" Kevin cheered. "Even Billy thinks that I'm better here. But he still wants Lex and Dee to leave as soon as possible."
"I'm afraid it won't be possible any time soon," Diane uttered, completely focused on the game of Pac-man. She used the ancient game console to navigate the hungry yellow circle through the maze while eating white dots. Then she let her guard down and allowed one of the ghosts to get her. "I have to train more," she sighed as she wrote her initials on the highscore board: DBW.
"DBW?" Alexis wondered. "What does that 'B' stand for?"
"Badass, of course," Diane jeered.
"Can I be badass, too?" Kevin asked keenly.
"Maybe in a few years," Alexis ended the discussion. "Can I play with Bionicles with you? I will be the white one, okay? I like the white one."
A minute later, two Lego warriors controlled by Kevin and Alexis started to fight. "You will never get my Mask of Power!" Alexis shouted in a deep voice. "Come and get me!"
Sandra laughed. "I think that Alexis actually makes a better mom than Samantha."
Diane paused the Pac-man and nodded. "You have no idea. She had always been like my mom and I have to admit I was behaving like a bratty child sometimes. Please don't tell her that I said that, but who knows where I would be without her. She's an alright sis."
They spent a few hours in Sandra's flat and Diane managed to beat Kevin's highscore in Pac-man (Sandra's first place, however, remained untouched). The sisters then returned home after making sure that Sandra and Kevin will be able to make it through a few days.
"No worries," Sandra smiled. "Me and Kevin are a good team."
"And Billy!" Kevin added.
Sandra's smile froze. "Yes. And Billy, too."
Alexis and Diane caught a TEx to West Haven - they were home in less than ten minutes. "I think it was strange how much Sandra's late fiancé looked like Billy from Kevin's drawing," Diane said.
"It's only a child's drawing," Alexis replied. "It may be a coincidence."
"I don't believe in coincidences."
"Even if, we don't have the photo. Annie could run it through the face-recognition software like she did with Samantha. Without the photo, we can do nothing."
Diane smirked. "Who said we don't have the photo?" She took out her mobile phone and showed Alexis a picture of Grant's photo in Sandra's wallet. The picture was a little blurry, but still usable. "I took it while Sandra was making a coffee for me," she explained. "I had to rush it a little, so it's a little lower quality."
"I think it will do," Alexis smiled. "Dee, you are a genius."
>><<
Anna critically scanned the photo with her eyes. "I can run it through a few filters which can sharpen it a little, but don't expect that stuff from CSI: Miami which could turn a few pixels into a perfectly sharp picture," she said. "Then, maybe, I'll be able to use it for face recognition."
"I don't understand that computer mumbo jumbo, so I'll just trust you and hope the whole thing won't blow up," Diane replied.
Augustus peeked into the room. "It's them again," he muttered and walked away.
The paralyzed girl smiled. "He's starting to get used to you. That's a good sign."
The cursor started to fly across the screen as Anna used a graphic program to sharpen Grant's face as much as possible. When she finished, it was still a little blurry. "Now I'm gonna throw it into the face recognition. Fingers crossed," she mumbled. The program worked slower as usual; it apparently had problems with the photo and the girls were afraid that it would reject the picture after all.
They sighed in relief when the computer showed a window which said: SEARCHING...
As they expected, the first webpage was the archive of police force of Gabriel's Gardens. Grant's page contained his photo in an uniform. His face was strict, but the blue eyes looked kind. A sharp face, long black hair in a ponytail. Yes, it was really Sandra's late fiancé.
"Look," Alexis gasped and pointed at his name: Sgt. Grant William Agosta
"Horrible," Diane said. "Who the hell is named Agosta?"
"No!" Alexis shivered with excitement. "William. Billy. Do you understand?"
"Yeah... makes sense," Diane agreed. "And look!" she pointed at the star-shaped badge on his chest. "A star. Kevin told us about it. I bet it's the star from Billy's uniform!"
"Case closed," Anna announced.
"Not yet," Alexis uttered. "I'm afraid that discovering Billy's true identity is only the first step. Now we must find out what he wants and why he's interacting with Kevin."
"Maybe he just wanted to know his soon-to-be nephew," Anna hinted.
"I doubt it. Why would he, in that case, try to denounce Samantha as much as possible? I think that Grant knew Samantha more than Sandra is willing to admit."
"Do you think they had an... affair?" Anna said and blushed. Alexis had to hide giggling. Anna was insecure every time she talked about something intimate and Alexis found it adorable.
Diane shrugged. "Everything is possible. We should probably ask Sandra."
"I... I don't think it's a good idea," Anna said. "She's probably still mourning for her fiancé and asking her if it's possible that he... got intimate with her sister? That's just cruel."
"I also don't feel very well about doing it, but I guess we have to," Alexis said. "I have that feeling in the back of my head that Grant, or Billy if you wish, is planning some kind of revenge against Samantha through Kevin. Maybe they had some accounts to settle before Grant died."
"Careful," Diane smirked. "It's the Alexis' infamous backhead feeling!"
"You have to admit that they always turn out to be true."
Diane raised her hands in a giving-up gesture. "Okay. You're the brains. Look... if you think about it, we're a BBB - an ideal team."
"BBB?" Anna wondered.
"Badass, Beauty and Brains," Diane explained. "It's a holy trinity in all B-movies, something like Warrior, Cleric and Magician. I am the Badass, in case you wonder."
Anna jeered. "Does that make me the Beauty? Weird. People told me that I look like a rabbit or The Grinch with that nose. And I don't give a damn about being stylish or fashionable."
"Don't worry, you're cute just the way you are," Alexis smiled. "That little nose is especially cute."
"Come on. You make me blush," Anna laughed.
"Who said it wasn't intended?"
>><<
The sisters visited Sandra and Kevin the next morning. Everything seemed so idyllic - Sandra was preparing the meal while Kevin was playing Pac-man furiously. The guilt the girls felt increased even further. Maybe they'll single-handedly ruin three lives today.
"What do you need?" Sandra smiled at them.
"We have some... serious matter do discuss," Alexis said. "But we also need to see Samantha. Would you mind if you visit her with us?"
Sandra didn't look very enthusiastic and neither did Kevin. "Back to mommy...?" he said. "She'll drink smelly water and spank me again. Auntie Sandra is much nicer."
"You won't have to stay there," Alexis calmed him down. "We just need to talk to your mommy. Then you'll be able to return here. It won't take long."
Thirty minutes later, they left the TEx in Serenity Square and headed towards Samantha's house. They knocked at the door and even rang the intercom, but nothing happened. Sandra frowned and reached into the pocket of her shorts - a reserve key was there. The woman unlocked the door and entered. The smell of alcohol and sweat immediately gave away what was wrong.
Samantha was in the living room, collapsed on the couch, wearing only a tank top and panties. Her beauty was gone - her hair was sweaty and her face caught a pallid shade. She looked at them with bloodshot eyes. "Why are you here?" she muttered. "Nobody asked you to come."
"We have to ask you a few questions and your condition doesn't help it much," Alexis said with a disgusted face; she had always hated alcohol and drunks.
"I have a solution," Diane bursted out and disappeared somewhere. She returned with a glass of icy-cold water and hurled it into Samantha's face. The half-naked woman screamed and fell off the couch; she still looked confused, but definitely more sober. "You're gonna listen to us, lady," Diane said.
The shade of Samantha's face went from white to red. "Who the hell do you think you are?"
"She said a curse word!" Kevin shouted.
"Shut up," Samantha barked. Kevin retreated and grabbed Sandra's hand.
"Okay, now listen closely. All three," Alexis exclaimed. "I have some news that concerns all three of you. The truth is that Grant Agosta is Billy."
"You can't be serious," Sandra stated in a dull voice. "Oh my god... William... Billy..."
"Oh no!" Kevin shouted. "Billy is very angry. He says that he hates both of you."
"It's good we can't hear him, then," Diane said.
"Now, a question for you," Alexis pointed at Samantha. "Did you know Grant Agosta?"
"Of course I did," the woman hissed. "It would be a shame if I didn't know my sister's husband."
"She meant if you slept with him!" Sandra shouted. "If you did... I swear..."
"That's... that's ridiculous!" Samantha exclaimed. "Why would I sleep with your man?"
In the meanwhile, Kevin started to cry. "Please stop... Auntie, Billy is telling me weird things! He says he's my daddy! That can't be, right? Right?"
Infuriated, Sandra turned to her sister. "You whore!" she screamed, grabbed Samantha and started to shake her hard. "You goddamn whore! Why did you do that? Why did you seduce my fiancé and have child with him? I hate you, Samantha. I hate you so much!"
Samantha jeered. "Remember, it takes two! Grant was more than willing to try something new."
Sandra was ready to commit another act of violence towards her sister, but Kevin started to speak again: "Billy says... Billy says that mommy is a mordor."
"Did he toss a ring into her?" Diane wondered. "Sounds like a weird fetish."
"No..." Kevin was fighting with the word. "Mordoror."
Alexis' face went pale. "Murderer," she whispered. "Is that what Billy tells you?"
"Yes, this is the word. He says... no... mommy, you killed Billy!"
>><<
Everything went silent for a second.
Then everyone looked at Samantha who looked genuinely shocked. "You... you're going way too far with your imagination, Kevin," she said.
"That's not his imagination," Alexis said. "Billy is really a ghost of Grant William Agosta. And it seems that he came back to solve the mystery of his murder."
Kevin began to speak quietly. "What...? Will it hurt...? Okay. Do it if you have to."
"No! Kevin! Don't do anything!" Diane shouted, but it was too late. The boy started to shiver and fell on the floor. Fortunately, he woke a few seconds later. But the expression on his face didn't belong to a child.
"Do you mind if I join the conversation? I was feeling a little left out," Kevin said. The voice was still a child's, but the articulation tone and vocabulary were clearly adult. He looked at Samantha. "It's good that our son is so sensitive to ghosts, otherwise I'd never be able to send you bitch to jail!"
"Grant possessed Kevin's body," Alexis said. "This is Grant speaking."
"Oh yeah, this is the smart one," Kevin/Grant smirked. "I admit that you two complicated the things a lot for me. I had to change my plans several times." Then he turned around and rapidly left the room.
"Kevin! Come back!" Sandra shouted, but the boy was already gone, so she turned to Samantha with tears in her eyes. "Is it true?" she barked. "Did you kill Grant? Why?"
"You have to be crazy to believe it!" Samantha shouted. "This is some theatrical performance made to get me into jail! You have no actual proof. Yes, I admit that I had an affair with Grant and that Kevin is his son. But I repeat: I didn't kill him."
"Lies." Kevin showed up again, this time holding a gun. Everyone gasped. The child's hands were barely big enough to hold the pistol properly, but Grant's experience made up for it. He aimed at Samantha. "Do you remember this?" he smirked. "I still know where it was hidden. Your secret hideout."
"No! Kevin, please stop it..."
"I'm not Kevin! I will leave his body as soon you're brought into justice... either by the police or by the funeral car. Now you should grab a shovel and dig it out... you know what I mean, right?"
Samantha nodded. "Grant, but..."
"Do it or I will shoot you! I have no reason not to do it. I am already dead, so there would be no consequences. But I'm giving you a chance. If you dig out the evidence and turn yourself into the police, you can continue living your miserable life of a dollar whore."
Samantha sighed and went outside to the garden, Grant in Kevin's body still aiming at her. She, with some hesitation, stepped into the outhouse with various gardening tools and grabbed a shovel. Then she kneeled before a rose field and started to tear out the beautiful flowers. "I hope this is just some bad dream," she muttered.
When the flowers were gone, she proceeded to start digging.
It was a very bizarre sight. A little boy pointing a gun at half-naked, half-drunk woman with a shovel, surrounded by violently plucked out flowers. "Carefully," Grant said. "Please don't damage it. I had some... emotional bond to that one."
While Samanthat was still digging, Grant looked at Sandra. "I hope you can forgive me somehow," he said. Sandra recognized Grant's eyes - intense, yet gentle. "It was a blackout. She just seduced me and I was helpless. I know, I'm a sorry parody of a man. I would never do it if I knew what will follow... but at least you have Kevin. We wanted a son anyway, right? Take good care of him."
"I will," Sandra promised, tears rolling down her face. "And I forgive you, Grant. We all make mistakes and... I'd never guess that you would find a way to speak with me for one last time. I love you, Grant. And I love Kevin. He inherited so much from you... how could I be so blind?"
Grant smiled. "Thank you."
Samantha, in the meanwhile, started to dig in the soil with her bare hands. She finally revealed what has been hiding under the roses. It was a human skull.
>><<
The skeleton hidden underneath the flower field was really Grant William Agosta's body.
"Now... you should explain what happened," Alexis hinted.
Samantha sat on a garden bench while staring at the grass around her feet. "It happened the night I had an affair with Grant," she told. "After we were done, he immediately began to have some moral crisis. He said that he'll never be able to live with this. He'd have to tell Sandra."
"And that's why did you kill him?" Diane asked. "Just to cover that affair?"
"Let me finish," Samantha hissed. "Before it happened, I got involved into an illegal business. Drug dealing. Everything was going well and my profits were great, but then my nosy sister found a pack of crack at my house. I had to tell her everything and promise I'll hang up the business.
Sandra loved Grant so much. If he really confessed his cheating, it would devastate her. Our relationship was never idyllic, so I think that seducing Grant would be a reason big enough to make Sandra crack and tell the police everything about my drug business.
I didn't want to kill anyone, but he insisted that he'll tell Sandra about the affair. I started to panic and... the gun was really close, so I..." she started to cry. "I didn't want to go to jail."
"But you will have to anyway," Sandra uttered. "I'm taking Kevin and I hope I won't see you ever again." The police sirens started to sound nearby. As soon as Samantha revealed the skull, Diane called the police.
At that moment, Kevin blacked out, collapsed to the ground and dropped the gun. He woke up a few minutes later. "Where am I?" he yowled. "I had such a weird dream..."
Sandra looked him in the eyes and grabbed his shoulder. "We won't be seeing mommy for a really long time," she said. "You'll have to live with me. I know it'll be difficult to get used to more... humble living, but you'll overcome it somehow. Okay?"
"Yes!" the boy cheered. "I'd love to! I love you, Auntie." Then they hugged tight. The woman then took Kevin away from the garden so he didn't see the police arresting Samantha ("At least let me get some pants on!"). Alexis and Diane looked at each other.
"A ghost solving the case of his own murder," Alexis said. "Life works in mysterious ways. But I'm glad that Kevin will be with Sandra. He's a nice boy... he doesn't deserve an abusive mother."
The boy and his aunt were already in the house. Sandra was helping Kevin with packing his things. The boy looked sad. "Billy left," he mumbled. "He said he's so proud of me. And that I should grow up to be a real man. Then he just disappeared into a light."
"At least you had a chance to speak with your daddy," Sandra consoled him.
"Yeah. And I found some real friends!" Kevin smiled. "Next time, I'll beat Dee in Pac-man and get the Mask of Power from Lex! I'm cre... cere..."
"Certain," Alexis hinted while returning the smile. "I'd love to see you again, Kevin. And you too, Sandra. I hope your lives will get better after this."
The woman nodded. "Having Kevin in my custody was always my dream. And Grant helped me to fulfill it. Well... I've always known Samantha is a black sheep of the family, but to think she was capable of a murder... it's good that Kevin will stay with me." She then pulled out her wallet and handed the sisters several banknotes. "I almost forgot. Your earnings."
Diane smiled. "Now this is the time we should generously turn down the money and say 'it was nothing', but since we're on a tight budget, I have to take it. Sorry."
"Now let's play some Pac-man!" Kevin shouted.
>><<
The Centre
"What's the meaning of this?" Marlene waved the article in front of Kyle's face. "You... you'rere a criminal. Alexis was right. You have secrets..."
"Don't we all, darling?" Kyle said and touched her shoulder.
"Don't touch me!" Marlene screamed and flinched. "You... you killed that man and escaped unpunished!"
"That man was a threat for both me and my family," Kyle explained. "I couldn't let him live. I'd never kill for gain. All I do is right. Do you trust me? Repeat after me. All I do is right."
"Kyle... I don't know if I want to be with you anymore."
Kyle was trembling with rage, but managed to act calm. "Don't be silly. That's what Alexis wants you to do! They dug out an old case which was nothing but misunderstanding to lure you away from me. Look me into the eyes and say: do I look like an evil man to you?"
"No..." Marlene admitted. "Such beauty can never be truly evil."
"All I do is right. Now you believe me?"
"All... all you do is right."
"I only want the best for both of us, my love. And Warren sisters want us to separate. We'll have to teach them a lesson so we could be really happy. Do you agree?"
She nodded.
"Do you trust every word I say?"
Nod.
Kyle was laughing inside. That girl was so naive. She was like his puppet and he was holding the strings. But he didn't lie in one thing - they'll have to rule the Warren sisters out the game. He already had many plans in his head. He only had to pick one of them.
He kissed Marlene and felt her suspicion slowly melting. Just a little trouble, nothing he can't handle. "Maybe I will need your help," he said. "Don't worry. We'll manage to get rid of every obstacle in our road. I love you, Marlene. I'll protect you with everything I have.