Lizt ... Evan N.

[Argus Steele]

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The place - Area 52 (Area 51 was taken evidently)
The time - 10:02 am
The person - Evan N. Lizt
I-pod song of choice - Crazy by Gnarls Barkley

**I remember when, I remember,
I remember when I lost my mind,
There was something so pleasant about that place...
Even your emotions had an echo in so much space.**

I was in the middle of my exercise routine which included twenty laps around the track. Physically I was there, but mentally?

Ten laps down, ten more to go ... Focus. Yeah, right. Easier said than done, especially after the past several months? I'm lucky to still be SOMEwhat sane. Though the ones that know me might question that.

**And when you're out there, without care,
Yeah, I was out of touch.
But it wasn't because I didn't know enough:
I just knew too much**

Considering all that's happened lately with what we like to call the whole *Outer limits /Twilight Zone * episodes going on, granted some occurrences were on the amusing side. Reality had gone on a serious acid trip in some parts of the world, to the point where even the global government was having trouble keeping the media from reporting it. To quote that one movie ... " You want answers!! I want the truth!! You can't handle the truth!!!" Seriously, society at large wants to know, or the claim they do, but we really don't. It's better to deal with the illusion we all create for ourselves.

Me? I just take it one day at a time, it helps keep the sanity intact, which until recently, it was more like treading the proverbial thin ice while wearing concrete shoes.


**Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
Probably**

It felt like yesterday when I had decided to pay my Doctor Darcy Maxwell my annual *mental state of mind* visit, she wasn't alone. There were a couple of suits in there with her, who proposed this little what can you do for your country speech ... My first instinct was to tell them to take a flying leap, but after sitting through a little presentation of theirs .... It was either join them, or be late for my interview to work at the coffee shop.

I guess they did me a favor, because NOTHING ever happens at there!!

I was to be recruited into Paranormal/Supernatural division of our government, to help deal with the increase random paranormal events. Dr. Maxwell was along for the ride also, as my personal shrink/mentor. Along with others like me, we were introduced into the world of the Daemonites, which led to the whole War of the Worlds. No, not that movie!!

**And I hope that you are having the time of your life
But think twice, that's my only advice**


God love Dr Maxwell. She's been my main rock of reality through all of this. She was/is considered one of those *new breed* Doctors that thought outside the conventional box. She had an equal balance/grip of science and the paranormal, and possessed that all important ingredient ...

An open mind.

Which was why I had her come with me. It was one of those you had to believe it to see it. And Doctor Maxwell took it all in stride, welcoming our latest arrival ...

Eve Nora Lizt.

Another version of myself.

Spooky.

**Come on now, who do you, who do you, who do you, who do you think you are,
Ha ha ha bless your soul
You really think you're in control**


Save for the OBVIOUS sex/gender thing, we were basically mirror images of the other, right down to those tiny *subtle* nuisances. Right down to the way we dressed. I wonder if she has a phobia of mirrors? Anyway, once it was deemed that Eve wasn't a level orange threat, Doc Max pulled some strings to keep her out of the holding pens, and placed under her direct supervision. Not a guard in sight. No cameras. No hidden microphones. Any sessions would take place outside. Really. I think the whole concept probably caught Eve off guard. I don't think it was something she had back in her reality.

Her reality. Heh. If anyone told me I would be *allowed* to talk like that openly and not get that ... *look?* I'd look 'em right in the eye and respond with a very sarcastic *yeah right.*

Doc Max was talking with her now, I could *feel* Eve's presence, but tried my best to focus on the remaining laps, though I'd know how I'd be taking things if I were in her shoes ... I think.

**Well, I think you're crazy
I think you're crazy
I think you're crazy
Just like me**


>click< -Evan? You about done?-

"Huh? Um, yeah, pretty much. What's up Doc? Heh."

>click< -Cute. Meet us outside when you're done.-

"Mmmkay. I'll be right out soon as I take a quick shower." Ugg. I was wondering when this part was going to happen. Besides that first encounter, I hadn't seen Eve since then. No matter how you slice this is just ... Weird. What am I supposed to say to her?

**My heroes had the heart to lose their lives out on a limb
And all I remember is thinking, I want to be like them
Ever since I was little, ever since I was little it looked like fun
And it's no coincidence I've come
And I can die when I'm done**


Can I wake up now?

Please??

I switch off my i-pod with a small grin on my face. That song's going to be in my head for days now!! Thanks a lot Gnarls Barkley!!!


**Maybe I'm crazy
Maybe you're crazy
Maybe we're crazy
Probably**

[Argus Steele]

She'd really had no idea how to react to all of this; first, the apparent *shift* in realities - and boy, was Eve really getting to dislike that. Second, finding herself in an odd place being attacked by some odd critters. She could have even dealt with that alright, except for the third aspect - coming face-to-face with a male version of herself.

Eve had been hoping during all of this - the meeting with the doctor, the questions, the 'sessions' that had taken place - that any second she'd wake up wth Steele and Jared standing over her, looking at her as if she'd lost it. Hell, she'd even settle for Amber leaning over her at this point, and she certainly didn't trust that girl...

The longer this drew on, however, the more sure Eve was that she was going to be there for a bit. This reality felt...firmer than the last. More solid, less likely to collapse beneath her, around her.

Still, the fact that she was aware of Evan's presence nearby, gleaming like a beacon in her head, didn't help matters. He seemed to like being out and about, moving as much as she did; she really disliked being confined to one area, though running wasn't her preferred method. Then again, there weren't that many guys interested in ballet, so she couldn't blame him.

The 'sessions' with Dr. Maxwell - Dr. *Darcy* Maxwell, here - didn't really seem like sessions. Eve had been quite suspicious to begin with, questioning her methods, and convinced that there had to be some sort of hidden devices somewhere - cameras or microphones, *something* of that sort. Every session she had ever been involved in had been monitored for later review; the young woman had a hard time understanding why this would be much different.

Even when offered food and drink, she'd mostly picked at it, toyed with it for something to do with her hands. Her appetite wasn't that strong, at the moment; strange occurences tended to do that to her, and Eve wasn't sure of her own mental stability right now. It seemed something too bizarre, too strange for words. How could she be meeting a *male* version of herself?

...Though even if he had been female instead, Eve doubted it would have been much easier. It certainly wasn't when it came to Nora.

"I know it all seems pretty crazy. I can't even honestly say that I really believe all of this, but...it's kind of hard to deny." Eve had raked her fingers through her hair, shook her head just a little. "It's so off the wall that it just seems...impossible. A lot of my life seems that way, lately."

The 'picnic' session had struck Eve as incredibly odd; so strange, not to be in a little room somewhere, observed and recorded all at the same time. This version of Dr. Maxwell was so different that Eve was still having a difficult time with it. Not a trusting young woman by any means, and the flip-flop of everything made things even worse. Still, was it really any harder than last time, when Doc had still been *Doc,* male and all, but...nice? Even fatherly?

No, she didn't think that made it harder. Just stranger.

"You know, you're very different where I come from. Not only are you a cranky old man that's treated me since I was a kid, but you're convinced up and down that I'm crazy. Or if you're not really convinced, you still want me locked up in the institution." She picked up her bottle of water, toying with the cap on it.

"Am I? Things change in leaps and bounds then, don't they?" Dr. Darcy smiled placidly at Eve, watching her fidget. "I'm a cranky old man in your...reality, and Evan is...well, you. Gender differences, but I see many of the same mannerisms and ways of speaking. Even many of the things you've described are eerily similar. It's not the simplest thing for me to get *my* mind around, but I'm willing to believe you're the same person."

Eve opened her mouth to speak, then paused, trying to rephrase her thoughts. "You said he's involved in a government program. How long? How much...control does he have? What are the extent of his...um...abilties?" Questions she *probably* should have been asking Evan himself, but she could hardly contain them anymore. They'd been beating around in her mind, trying to find a way out. Maybe Dr. Darcy could fill her in on a little, at least.

The older woman opened her mouth to respond, just before Eve cut her off once more. The younger woman had a suddenly wide-eyed look, a little awed and a little afraid at once. "He's coming." She could almost track him in her head, bright as a candle flame in the dark.

[Argus Steele]

I hope I'm not suppose to dress up for this, can't get into the mood for it. So it's the basic gothic meets grunge meets winter x-games look. It gets me through the day, you know? No mirror to check the hair, so wet look remains. Fresh pack of gum in my jacket pocket, and off I go.

That five minute trip was one of the longest of my life, that's for sure. I lost count of how many times I played this thing out ... Meeting Eve Nora Lizt. I could feel her, sense her I think. The closer I was to getting outside the stronger that *feeling* became. Greeeeeeeeat something else to chat up with Doc Max about. At least they were keeping her away from the rest of the squad ... I'd really hate having to open some cans of whoop @$$ for them being .... Well, themselves. Would have gave a whole new meaning to *taking up for oneself.*

I took one last deep breath while reaching for the door that led outside ... There they were ...

The awkward silence. Yup, it was there. Hell, in the heat of the moment of rescuing her back then, there wasn't exactly time to give out hullos and salutations. But there she was, and I just can't shake the feeling that she was feeling the same way I am. With a half smile, I sit across from her. I have this .... aversion towards direct physical contact, it causes me to read things, people too sometimes. I don't have a handle on that ability yet, not to mention it leaves me fight off the urge to hurl big time. Reaching for a bottle water, I toy with the lid/label for a bit, before finally making eye contact again ...

"Um, is this totally creeping you out as much as it is me or what? Not sure what I'm supposed to do here really, Doc. Little help here?"

Dr. Darcy Maxwell would fight off the laughter that was quickly rising up inside her. It was indeed like view some sort of distorted mirror, for the pair even sat the same way. It took a few seconds to compose herself, but after clearing her throat, she would look to one, then the other as she spoke ...

"Well. We all know who we are here, so I won't go through any introductions. Evan, Eve comes from another ... Reality very much like our own, and in some cases, very different. Why don't you tell a little about yourself, Evan to get things rolling."

A twitch of my lips ... Nervous habit. Sitting the bottle in my lap, I ran a hand through my hair, before taking another deep breath. "Well, I've been with P.W.I -Paranormal Watchers Inc. for the past couple of years ... Um, before that, I was a part time college student, looking for a job. Doc Max here has been my shrink for as long as I can remember ... Well, at least during my troubled teen years back at Stonebridge Institute."

Whoo ... at that point I had to unscrew the cap from my bottle and take a good swallow, my throat was getting a little dry. "My dad passed away when I was eight, and my mom and I are sort of ... estranged. Something about coping with your kid being a ... Freak."

Man, Eve's wheels were spinning fast inside her head .... Just a hunch. I looked over at Doc Maxwell while taking another sip of water, and she gave me the nod to continue. "Tell her about what you can do, Evan.

"Hmmm .... Don't have to assume that Doc Max told you about my .... Special gifts, now." -Insert goofy grin.- I hate to think where ... Or how I would have ended without her support, Eve. I wasn't exactly the most ... Stable person to begin with. Least I can almost sleep a full six hours without have some whacked out dreams ... Well, my talents? At first it was like having an itch you couldn't scratch, but it was always there driving me crazy. Took out my ceiling fan with a book .... Scared the crap out of me!!! Telekinetic was my second one. The first was the dreams, that Doc Max calls visions. Then there's the ... hands on thing that I don't like to do at all."

Eve was sitting there, taking it all in ... I could tell despite her not reacting too much, that some of this stuff might have happened to her ... "You're the second version of me that I've come across. But you're the first ... Version that everyone else can see besides me ... Real bundle of attitude. Total gothic queen. She went by her ...Um, middle name ... "

" Nora."

[Argus Steele]

"Nora." Eve spoke the name softly with Evan, and nodded gently. Her expression was still but intent as he talked, and she drew a breath, opening her mouth to speak before pausing for a moment. Framing her thoughts. "Yeah, she's shown up in my reality a time or two, too, and no one else has seemed aware of her. It's really weird, because I think she's jealous of me and has the hots for a guy I work with. Paranormal Watchers Inc? I'm with Night Walkers."

Let's see...fill in the gaps in what he'd said. "My parents were both alive while I grew up, but my father was a jerk, and my mother wasn't much better. At about fourteen, I'd decided I had enough of it. Saw too many warped things, too many nightmares, Felt too much...and that isn't even covering the medications and the sessions. I couldn't talk to anyone, because they all thought I was crazy or sick. So I thought I was going to end it." Reaching for her sleeve, Eve pushed it up just a bit, enough to give a glance at the thick scar on the inside of her slim wrist. Giving him a glance at it, arching a brow before dropping the material again. She was curious if he had anything similiar...

"Didn't work; to this day, I'm not sure why. I woke up in Stonebridge, did a five year stint there. I finally wised up and learned how to lie a little better, scammed my way into having a few independent evaluations done. I was released and working in a coffee shop when I met a guy that...well, he thought that daemons were after me. I admit, I even thought he was kind of crazy to start with, but...he managed to keep me from getting killed. So far, anyway." Eve shrugged lightly, had a drink of her water. "I'm only now trying to get a handle on it, but...yeah, I know what you mean about some of it. I could live without the Psychometry and Second Sight. I'm still...well, I only recently discovered the Telekinetics, so that's very much a work in progress. And this...this Shifting thing. I have no idea what that's about, but I sometimes wonder if Nora was doing it too. I've been to a place where they were confusing me with her; apparently, they were pretty familiar with her, and not that fond of her, which made things really fun."

A little shake of her head, and she found herself stifling a yawn. This had been a stressful day, and it felt like it had lasted for years. "I just hope that I get back home soon and that my...um...partner isn't standing over me and looking at me like I'm crazy." Finding out that she'd been sitting there for a while and staring into space wouldn't be cool. But there had to be a way to get back, didn't there? "I already asked Doc Darcy just before you came out, then I rudely interrupted her." Eve shot the older woman a look, and a slightly guilty little smile. "Sorry about that. But since you're here, I'll ask again. How much control do you have over all this?" She was really, really hoping he'd say that he had a good grip on at least some of it. Hoping that if she was stuck there for a bit, she could at least learn something from him. And even if she couldn't, she could still experiment and see if she could teach *herself* a thing or two, couldn't she?

The prospect worried her a little, truthfully; Eve was a little afraid to know the extent of what she could really do, but curious all at once. But even if she didn't try to break through to find new abilities (which she prayed would be few and far between; something else rearing up at an inopportune moment was *all* she needed) maybe she could learn to use what she already had better; maybe even figure out how to turn some of it off, proverbially speaking?

The only problem she could see with that was that she'd have been quite reluctant to turn them back on. It was a two-sided problem; the desire for a normalcy, but she also felt like she'd have been turning her back - not only on part of herself, but on her friends with NWI, too.

So, maybe not turn it off entirely. Tune it down? Shut it out when needed? Yeah, that might be a bit better...

"I had...sort of the same experience with the telekinetics, except it wasn't a ceiling fan. It was the light fixture in a friend's guest bedroom." A slightly sheepish grin turned her soft mouth, and she gave a little shake of her head. "Could have been worse, I guess. I could have shattered the mirror, which wouldn't have been good." Seven years bad luck for the superstitious, and the cold fear of what was behind the mirror, for her. "Tell me...do mirrors bother you much?" The arch of a brow, but her stormy eyes were on Evan a little more intently than before.

Well, if nothing else, she could say that at least she *did* make for a nice looking guy. If she ever got brave enough to tell anyone else about the experience, that was.

[Argus Steele]

"NO WAY!!!!"

It was shouted out so loud, and unexpectedly, it even caught Dr. Darcy Maxwell off guard .... "You go by the name Night Walkers?" Slapping his knee, Evan erupted with a burst of continual deep laughter. When they sent us out on our first assignment, we tossed about a few names about for our team. My choice was ... Night Walkers Inc. It got voted down though. "

Darcy smiled to herself, while wrapping her arms around her knees. The longer they interacted, the more they were becoming comfortable around the other, sort of like having an out of body experience with yourself. She was taking as many mental notes as she could, those crystal green eyes filled with wonderment of what was happening right in front of her, for nothing in all her years of schooling could have prepared herself for this!!! She would not even comment/respond on Eve's Doc Darcy nickname.

"Not going to lie, Eve. It's a huge load off to hear that Nora just wasn't a part of me created by my subconscious to deal with certain issues. Something about her though ... Don't trust her at all. It was like she was always appearing at the most stressful times, trying to push my buttons ... Having that *I know something you don't know* look about her all the time." Clasping my hands and interlocking my fingers together behind my head, I let myself relax against the grass, closing my eyes for a few seconds, taking all of this in. Eve wasn't Nora, that was for sure. I can trust her on many more levels than I could with even Doc Max, and that's saying something. I was seeing her more like a twin sister, waiting for her to finish any sentence I started.

Rolling over on one side, my smile faded, as I stared silently at Eve before pulling aside my black double wrist band, revealing a old scar across my left wrist. Holding up for her to see as well, before pulling the band back over it. "I like to call that my turning point ... Since I didn't die, I guessed there something else out there in those cards of fate for me ... You ... Us. Heh."

Darcy would hold up her hand to interrupt the pair ... "I do want to address that question as far as getting you back to your reality, and I've had Evan's Team Leader pinpoint a radius of where you appeared, double checking it with the data from Evan's armor. If there's any activity at all, we are ready. There are some other options being looked into, and once we have more concrete evidence that they have a decent percentage of working, you will be the first to know. And for the record? No apology needed."

I had to smile at Doc Darcy right then. What other Doctor would go through all that, and be so honest about it? Cut and dry. That's how she's always been. "Um, is it cool to show her what I can do Doc?" Darcy would motion with her hand for him to go right on ahead. "You are in full control of your talents, Evan. The ball is in your court."

With an arch of my left eyebrow, (it always does that whenever I concentrate) I levitated Eve about four - five inches of the grass, for about ten seconds, before letting her back down. I can turn over a SUV if I had to, or tele-blade myself. It's like roller blading but I'm supplying the umph!!" Darcy at that point was shaking her head emphatically ... "Do *NOT* let him blade you!!!"

Half laughing, half coughing, Evan sat up Indian style once again. "Oh, don't mind her. She's old school! Outside of the visions which I have no control over ... They just happen, you know? Then there's the ... Hands on thing, where I can read people/things. Still working on that one. " I think for a minute, was there anything else? I snap my fingers .... "Oh yeah!!! I'm good at controlling my own dreams, and if I'm in the same room with someone, I can enter theirs."

Darcy nodding her head in agreement, would chime in ... "Evan has come into his own as far as being a telekinetic, in such a short time. His main concern was being able to shut them off and on, to be as normal as he can be."

I did cringe at the mirror comment, running a hand through my hair, before looking down at the grass. "Um, sorry Eve. I have this, -sigh- Phobia about mirrors. I swear whenever I used to look at them, there was something .... Evil inside. It always seemed that the figure was focused solely on me. I could never see eyes, however - only dark sockets. I'd locked gazes with the spectre, before The image in the glass tilted her his slightly, hands fluttering over the inner surface as if searching for a way out, some chip or crack that might provide an escape." I'd look over at Eve with a solemn expression .... "Pretty stupid huh?"

Darcy tosses Evan a fresh bottle of water, using it more like a breather. "He still does not care to be around any mirrors, and that's one thing we have not been able to make any head way with ...."

"Because one day...the glass will break, Doctor."

All three would look at the other right then ... Darcy because both Evan and Eve said it at the exact same time, in the exact same tone of voice, and with that same look in their eyes. Evan stared at Eve, before mouthing the word ...

"Spooky."

[Argus Steele]

"Because one day...the glass will *break,* Doctor."

All three would look at the other right then. Darcy because both Evan and Eve said it at the exact same time, in the exact same tone of voice, and with that same look in their eyes. Evan stared at Eve, before mouthing the word, "Spooky."

Eve nodded her head gently. Her stormy-eyed gaze was on Evan, chin tilted slightly downward, and there was a slightly haunted, knowing look in her eyes. "It's not stupid. Not at all. And it is nice to know that someone else has seen it."

For a moment she sat still, then drew a deep breath and stretched her arms over her head. The air had seemed tense, thick, and she wanted to shake that atmosphere. "I didn't exactly pick the name Night Walkers; the little bunch was already calling themselves that when I joined up. This guy, Steele, picked me up from the coffee shop I was working in. Naturally, I thought it was weird to start with, and I'm not sure how confident he was in my...abilties. I think I gave a nice little display when he took me to the scene of a murder, though." Her brows rose and she almost winced at the memory. "Wasn't pleasant, but I might have helped out a little, even if it was just to give them a little more confidence in...um...psychics." A brief pause. "Still, it sounds like something out of a comic book to me..."

Strangely, she hadn't given too much reaction to being levitated - only swept her fingers under her thighs as if to check the distance between herself and the grass, and glance down to see how high she'd gotten. "So you have *some* control. Better than none. I'll be a willing student if you want to teach me some of what you know." Trying to break the tension, she flashed a brief smile. "Or maybe we can collaborate and see what we come up with." The smile faded, and she glanced upward, looking toward the sky. "Depends how long I'm here, I suppose."

It was nice in a strange way, to be face-to-face with someone she felt she could talk to - and that had shared in many of the same experiences. Eve rubbed her knees with her palms, and shrugged, dropping her gaze back down. A glance at Dr. Darcy - it was easier to identify with her that way rather than 'Doc' or 'Dr. Maxwell' - then back to Evan. "I might not *let* you..um...tele-blade me, but I'm willing to learn. Just...don't let me break anything." Bones or anything else, for that matter.

"There's no...estimates for how long I might be here?" While Eve was glad that she was around people that seemed to be understanding of her and her abiltiies - and the prospect that she might even learn how to use some of it was nice - she was hoping to get home soon. Back to her own reality, with the other people she knew...but not all of which she felt she could trust. "Call me curious."

On second thought...maybe hanging around in this place wasn't so bad. It gave her a bit of a breather. While she wasn't completely trusting of Dr. Darcy, Eve had the feeling that she'd know if Evan lied to her; he seemed to be, for all intents and purposes, only a male version of herself - complete with many of her own mannerisms and fears, and ways of speaking. It was like having a twin...only that really wasn't.

He was certainly more agreeable than Nora. Speaking of which... "That little witch only did show up when things were tense, didn't she?" Eve's brows drew together for a moment, and a thoughtful frown touched her mouth. "I was never sure if she was just some odd piece of my own psyche or if she was real - but maybe trapped on the same level as the apparitions I've Seen are." Tilting her head back a little, she nibbled her lower lip briefly. "...Maybe she was feeding off the tension somehow? Or drawn to the situation by the possibility of chaos..." A shake of her head. "Or just pops up at those inopportune times to be a complete pain." Any one of those seemed likely to Eve, but the third even more so. "No matter what, that's what she does best."

Eve had to give a little grin, taking a moment to push her fingers through her hair. The curls were loose since her last shower to get the critter-gunk off, and she hadn't bothered much with trying to tie them back. "If you really want to annoy her though, don't fuss with her; just state your piece and let that be that. She *really* hates that. I think she's usually looking for a fight and if you refuse to give it to her, its worse than anything you could ever really say."

That was...*if* they were dealing with the same Nora. Dear Lord, but Eve hoped there wasn't more than one floating around out there. There was enough confusion already.