Mirror Images - segamI rorriM

[Argus Steele]

The Club Tryst was packed to the rafters that night, everyone that was everyone seemed to be in attendance, and there was a certain electricity in the air .... Dressed to kill in a form fitting black leather ensemble that consisted of corset with matching jacket that allow ample wares to be put on prominent display. A skirt that was as short as legal rules would allow such to be worn, with no stockings and stiletto five inch heels walked upon like she had been born in them.

Dark brown hair was as free like the wind, moving with reckless abandon, as she became one with the music. A light layer of sweat only enhanced the visible parts of her body, her hands caressing herself, enticing those that dared to watch. Willing males and females were chosen as partners, free drinks offered and accepted. A wide eyed stare cast upon all, with a very lustful intent.

The lucky individual name was .... Adam. How deliciously ironic. He was out of state, on vacation to come see the infamous Crimson Tryst Club. She listened with great fascination, her index finger running along the rim of the glass she was drinking from, her pupils quite dilated, not hiding the less than subtle fact that she was ...

Quite aroused ....

The pair would take to the dance floor, dancing closer to each other due to lack of space from the crowded floor. Mutual attraction led to hands on hips, a thigh being first straddled, then grinded upon. A lingering kiss on the lips soon gave way to some serious spit swapping, her breath coming in deep gasps ... The jacket was discarded, providing a more unrestricted .... View. Or views if one preferred.

(w) "I like it the way your eyes watch me, Adam. Do you ... want to see more?" Needless to say, he couldn't get her out of the club fast enough. Luck would have it, his rented flat was only minutes away from the club. Oh, he was going to really enjoy doing this girl. They had just made it inside the door, and she was all over him. Clothing was removed with heated haste, Adam would fumble for protection, but it was slapped from his hand. Her voice deep and husky, as she whispered into his ear ... (w) "No, I want to really *feel* you inside me."

He was glad that it was a single flat, because his date was quite the vocal one, as they threatened to break the bed with various positions. Sweat flowed free from their bodies as unchecked passions ran rampant. Who would believe him when he would retell his night at the club, scoring with one of the hottest babes he'd ever met. She had already brought him to orgasm twice, and a third time looked even more possible, as he found himself beneath her she was speaking with a raspy like whisper ...

"Do you like what you see, Adam?"

Was she kidding? Hell yeah he did ... This was the best night of his life. It couldn't get any better ... How true his *final* words would be .... As he had time to catch the glint of a sharp point stainless steel knife in the dimly lit room, as it came plunging down, again, and again, and again ....

Exhilaration. That was what she felt. Every fiber, every pore, every part of her felt more alive than it had ever been, as she stared into those wonder eyes of Adam's ... That were in the palm of her hand!!! She had not been paying attention to her reflection in the mirror, until a sudden movement was caught by the corner of her eye. The empty wide eyed doll look would return, at the image in the mirror, one that nearly ... Mirrored her own.

It sent chills through her very soul, making her sick to her stomach, as the knife in her hand was tightly gripped before throwing it at the mirror, boosted with a little telekinesis, as a scream tore from her ... "STOP HAUNTING MEEEEE!!!!!" The mirror would shatter, as the knife .... Vanished??? Dropping down to her knees, the young woman began sobbing uncontrollably ....

(m) "Makeitstopmakeitstopmakeitstopmakeitstop."

[Cracked View]

Dr. Damon Maxwell quietly looked out his new office window, hands clasped behind his back, his thoughts deep. What was he supposed to say when he saw his former patient? That she was right? Her updated files had been read several times, to the point that he pretty much had it memorized. He had also reviewed the video and audio files as well. Amused? Bemused? All points in-between?

A deep sigh escaped him. A clean slate, he thought. The PSD did not request him to be there to debunk one Eve Nora Lizt; no, this time around he would play the role in assisting her to learn more about those abilities, and the problems that went with it. That, of course, would be a moot point if she decided to not show up for her appointment. The more things changed ... The more things remained the same.


Eve showed up, though she really didn't want to. What would she say to Maxwell? Granted, Eve knew about his mindset the last time she'd seen him, but that didn't really have relevance here. Did it? It *had* been a different kind of reality then...

She'd gotten there early, but had lingered in the car until then. The young woman was both trying to steel herself and open her mind at the same time. It was difficult to get her head around it; this guy, the one that had very nearly tormented her much of her childhood and teen years, was once again her psychiatrist. And he was now 'in the know' about the paranormal. It was the kind of thing that made her want to smack herself in the forehead and belt out the singsong tune of 'I told you so!'

Too bad she had to act a lot more grown up than that.

A glance at her watch told her that the time for the appointment was fast approaching. A final deep breath, and she bailed out of the car, picking up the fitted dark blue blazer tossed on the back seat. Taking a second to swing it on and button it at the waist (helped keep from showing too much cleavage!) Eve went inside. Very shortly after, she was tapping on the door to his office, mostly because ... she wasn't sure if she was supposed to knock or just burst through the door. Beyond bizarre.


"Come on inside, Eve. It's open." She was on time. He was impressed. Perhaps these abilities of hers had instilled some sense of responsibility in her? He would not bother to hide the files about her that were spread out upon his desk, and he took his seat with a most calm like demeanor about him. "It appears that this time around, you will be teaching me, and I will be taking notes." An actual small did appear just then, and it was sincere! "I commend you on your prompt arrival, and you have my word that all discussed here will be met with an open mind on my part, or I will recommend an immediate replacement." He nodded as he spoke. "Where do you wish to start?"


Stepping in the door, Eve took a moment to look around. Well appointed office, but it wasn't quite the same as she remembered from Stonebridge. Maybe that was a good thing. Her features were neutral as she looked around, then turned her stormy gaze to him. It wasn't quite the doll-like emptiness, but it was a look that said she was slightly skeptical of his demeanor. A blink at him, and her brows drew together a little, giving him a pointed look. "I'm fine, Doc, and you?" Niceties were a good way to start, as she saw it - at least *pretend* they liked or cared about one another. Eve shrugged it off and stepped up to his desk, and was about to sit down - just before the files caught her eye. "May I?" With the slight quirk of a brow, before picking them up and sitting in the chair directly in front of the desk. "I've always wondered just *what* these say." They were placed in her lap and opened, much of it given only a cursory glance before she looked up at him again. The young woman sat up straight and regal in the chair, not quite looking like the scared girl she had in the past. "Let's begin ... with what *you* know, and work from there." The brief flash of a smile, but it was a real one. She'd be good, so long as he did. "I don't like to rehash the same things again and again."


The eye contact was maintained, and there wasn't any hint of annoyance in his voice, posture, or mannerisms. "Well, I spent most of last night reviewing your files, including the recent ones dealing with Dr. Jason. I will not lie; I had to reread some topics several times, for I have to admit, it was a very interesting read. And as I told them, having you in my care as long as I had, even pushed, you would never lash out to intentionally harm another - no matter what." Nodding his head again, zero hints of sarcasm evident. "You are not evil, nor have you ever shown any such tendencies during your stay at Stonebridge. Ironic isn't it, that I would be the one defending you considering our past ... history?" He paused long enough to allow himself a drink of water.


"It is." She finished a look through one, and went to another. "I like to think that maybe you were...mislead. Then again, it was all something incredibly difficult to believe, and at the time, I really couldn't present proof. It's only been fairly recently that I've tapped deeper into this and began to understand it." She glanced up briefly, then looked back down at the file. "I am sorry for what happened to Dr. Jason, though. I'm not really sure what to make of that, and I really have no idea what could have set her off like that - especially because I'm sure that she's trained." A shrug, and she put the files aside, and looked to Maxwell. "Have they told you of the ... Gates?"


"Yes, I had to be made aware of everything if I was going to be part of this, no matter how fantastic it sounded. Having debated this with you over the years made my transition that much easier. So, you have firsthand knowledge of these Gates?" He looked very interested in what point of view she had on the matter.


"Not really knowledge, I suppose, because I don't know much more than anyone else - such as where it goes, or anything. I did see the one with the Agents Rico, Kohnar and Steele - the one beneath the old Stonebridge. And ... apparently ... *I* keyed it up. I don't know if it was set to my ... um ... 'wavelength,' or what, but it started up, and I think I almost walked right into it." A shrug, just as something Jara had said came to mind: 'The Gate was destroyed, and *poof!* That Stonebridge never existed!' A slow hiss of her breath between her teeth, and she shook her head slightly, smiling. "But you don't happen to recall the old Stonebridge, do you?"


"I was never aware that there was an *old* Stonebridge, to be honest. I recall the less than colorful encounters with Agent Tohmaz Steele, as well the friction between yourself and the head of the board of directors, Dr. Cromwell."


"Well, most people aren't - especially since the building seemed to have imploded in on itself *after* I blew a hole in a wall for us to escape. Something about that seemed to have altered the memories of most people, though I know that the Agents I was with recall it as clearly as I do - or at least, Jara and Tohmaz do." Eve shrugged gently and made a brush away movement with her hand. But she *had* caught what he said. "Oh really?" A flicker of her eyes downward, before they lifted again and she leaned forward slightly, intently. "You don't happen to know the reason for the friction, do you?"


"Honestly? No. Once he transferred to our facility, he became most concerned with your case file. I found that odd, but before I had a chance question this, I had been promoted to be his assistant - which meant more patients to attend that needed more of my attention than you, when you were showing up less and less."


"There was a lot of friction, yes. What can I say? I get pretty ticked when it comes to Daemons Lords like him, especially those that like to toy with reality." It was very strange, sitting there with Dr. Maxwell, talking about things like that. She still half-expected him to give her one of those canned responses or recommend a medication. Still, she was trying to keep an open mind, but watch her words at the same time - feel the situation out a bit more. "But that's another of those things that I'm not really sure *how many* here realize. Still, it's something Agent Steele can corroborate."


His mouth dropped open. "He was a Daemon ... Lord?" Falling back in his seat, he reached for his glass of water once again while mulling over what she was saying. "Looking back upon all of this, it makes sense now."


"Daemon Lord that apparently cloned *me* in the old Stonebridge, on top of that, and tried to alienate me from all of my friends and coworkers." Her eyes widened slightly, but it was with reflection more than anything. "Mm. Why is that, Doc?" The delicate arch of that left brow as she studied him. Eve had wondered, faintly, if Daemons weren't able to work some peculiar spell in order to keep most of the general population snowed. Just a little something to help divert the attention elsewhere when something threatened to alert others to their true natures. It would certainly help in masking their presence - until, maybe someone Aware got close.


"He had obtained samples of your most recent blood work. He'd claimed to had been looking for extreme amounts of protein deposits that would possibly have been the true reason behind your delusions."

He'd give Eve that *look* for several moments, regarding her closely before responding. "I cannot change the past, Eve. But for what it is worth, I deeply apologize."


The young woman gave a shrug, and even made a brush away gesture. "They even had me snowed for a while. You were being paid to do a job, and I was being a kid - and my usual hardheaded self. I can understand your disbelief, because if I weren't involved and had this stuff myself, I wouldn't believe it. I didn't make things easy, but I guess it was because I always suspected there was more to it than just an illness. I guess the only thing that still bugs me about it was my parents reaction, you know? There wasn't even an attempt." A little shake of her head, before taking a breath and moving on. "But on the flip side, do be on the look out for someone that looks like me. I mean, *exactly* like me, but most assuredly *isn't* me. But I don't ... I don't know if she's got the scars. I don't know if they took that final step and made her *that* authentic." Eve suspected they did, but without Seeing her again, she couldn't say for sure.


Before he could address the latest bombshell dropped onto his lap, Dr. Maxwell's phone rang. "I'm in the middle of a sess- Indeed?" His glance now upon Eve. "Yes, I understand. I'll have her sent down."

Hanging up the phone, he let out a deep sigh. "It seems our first session will be cut short Eve, for Agent Steele is waiting for you outside. I hope to continue this another time?" His voice actually had a hopeful tone in it.


A little frown creased her brow at the news that the session was being cut short - and by none other than Tohmaz! Eve had the feeling that this might not bode well; he wouldn't interrupt that unless something was really up, would he? Eve pressed her lips together a little, thoughtfully, and cleared her throat softly as she rose. "Um ... sure." She couldn't believe that she was actually going to have another session with him - and that this one hadn't gone badly. That was a trip in and of itself! "Ah ... I'll see you another time, Doc." The flash of a little smile and a wave, and Eve was heading for the door.


Steele was drumming his fingers on the steering wheel while Jara busily typed away on her Blackberry in the back-seat. Both were dressed in full PSA attire. Upon seeing Eve exit the building, Steele barked from the SUV, "Get that cute ass of your in gear, Lizzie-Elf!"

Jara cracked a small smile at that, but remained focused on the task at hand. Once Eve was inside, Steele pulled away like a bat out of Hades. "Cliff note version? Dr. Darcy Jason escaped the facility somehow, and they've found a dead body downtown. Cut to pieces, with the eyes missing."


She'd actually been pretty quick in leaving the building; apprehension did that to her. Then Steele yelling at her from the car didn't help matters; he didn't usually rush her unless something was really up. After hopping in the SUV and hearing the news, Eve collapsed back in the passenger seat, pressing the heels of her hands against her eyes. "Lemme guess: In a hotel room?" Well, what she'd Seen in the mirror looked like it had happened in a hotel room. At least she'd known not to expect good news.


"More like one of those rented flats near that club. Man, it's looking like Dr. Jason used her powers to slip free, and witnesses saw her around that flat last night. Guess wearing patient scrubs isn't the club thing. Brehnic and Jared are going to meet us there. Babe, what did and *do* you See in the mirrors that could drive her over the edge? Was it her you Saw in your vision? I thought it was this Eve X?"

Jara muttered that the name sounded more like a porn star ...


She had to agree with Jara about that name ... "So it's something like a partial truth." Eve nodded slightly, and nibbled at her lower lip. "What, in her office? What I Saw was the same specter I've always Seen there - but I *haven't* Seen her since. But Dr. Jason was sitting there that day, watching me, waiting for me to do *something.*" She shrugged, a frown creasing her brow. "I didn't know what, so I looked in the mirror. And it ... it freaked her out somehow, and she left. I honestly don't know what she Saw or Felt. But what I saw in the mirror last time, when the glass was cracked ... it was me. Or she looked like me." This was ... this was getting confusing. "I don't ... I don't get it. But I remember she said a name: Trenton." Not that it really helped. "And she said I was haunting her."


Jara did a double take right then. "Holy crap, Tohmaz. The name of the body they found? Adam Trenton."


Eve was feeling slightly sick by this time. Trying to turn her attention elsewhere ... "So what abilities are we looking at, here?"


"Well, Dr. Jason is a level five Empath. Emotion Detection, Absorption, an' Control. She could Feed off wha'ever emotion th' guy had at th' time. You gettin' this, bro?"

"Every word, Jara. If Darcy did do this, she's gone over the deep end. Bloke's been seriously hacked. Not a drop of blood left in him either. Keep the girls outside when you get here Steele, cause it's not a pretty sight. Brehnic still hasn't stop throwing up."

Frowning, Steele looked at both women. "That'll be your call - both of you. But it would be better if you both went inside."

Jara was already nodding in agreement. "You betcha I'm goin' inside! This is like paranormal meetin' CSI! Booyah!"

That last word got her a stare from Steele, via rear view mirror. "Don't be using the catch phrase, Rico!"

The SUV pulled alongside Jared's, offering a view of countless Police cars and other law enforcement agencies. There was talk of a serial killer, one mentioned as a possible copycat due to the Coffee Shop massacre that happened in Chicago a few days before ...