***********

***********

Chapter Ten: Old Friends

Her eyes scanned her surroundings keenly in silence, taking in the décor of deep crimson and golden colors and the intricate designs of oriental art. Her gaze landed on a familiar, broad form sitting rigidly, alone, at a secluded booth. A ghost of a smile touched her lips as she sauntered soundlessly toward him and sat down, her eyes meeting his boldly.

He looked slightly different, more older, from when she had seen him last. His short, raven black curls were tinged and frosted with silvery strands of gray at the sides, creasing just above his ears. The famous dimpled cheeks, once so round and near boyish, had hollowed out evenly, distinguishing him with developed age. He had even grown out a short beard, giving him more of a rugged, dark appearance.

Round eyes, keen and compassionate as they had always been, stared in startlement across at her.

Arching an amused eyebrow, Evelyn asked, “What?”

“Ye look just like yer mother, lass,” he breathed, his eyes softening as he stared at her in open shock. “I always thought ye’d be just as pretty as ‘er.”

“And you,” Evelyn started, smiling fondly, “… look older.”

O’Donnell chuckled. “I can’t get any younger t’be sure. It’s been awhile, kiddo.”

“Years,” Evelyn agreed. “Last time I saw you I was twelve.”

“Ha! And yer still the smart ass little bugger that hasn’t changed, aren’t ya? I’m sure the old man has had his hands full all of these years.”

Shaking her head absently in dismay, Evelyn commented dryly, “Sure it hasn’t been the other way around?”

The Scotsman grinned impishly. “Aye… but maybe a tad bit mutual. Yer dear old mum had a hard time with ‘im herself, as have I, I’m afraid…”

“How long have you been waiting?”

O’Donnell shrugged absently. “Ten minutes, not too long.”

“I never pinned a Scotsman like you for being a fan of Chinese food.”

“Well, a man like meself enjoys a variety of foods, local or worldly otherwise. Ye knew the note in the mailbox was from myself, I take it?”

“Of course,” Evelyn grinned. “I could tell by the atrocious handwriting from your letters.”

O’Donnell scoffed but smirked back despite himself. “Everyone’s a critic.”

A new presence suddenly fluttered and materialized next to their table, catching their attention abruptly. Evelyn looked over with a vacant expression, a flicker of surprise suddenly creasing itself onto her features. Obviously she was getting two surprises this evening…

A delicate eyebrow arched as a familiar face hovered above them. “Peace.”

“Elektra.”

His hair was pulled back and a dirty apron adorned his hips, hugging a pair of weathered, old jeans. Despite the messy disarray of his hair, he looked quite handsome. His features were more distinctly defined, dark and aristocratic, even through the dim lighting of the restaurant’s interior.

A ghost of a smile touched O’Donnell’s lips at their brisk introduction, his eyes meeting Warren’s in silent assessment. “Evenin’, lad. Ye must be a schoolmate of this ‘ere lass o’ mine.”

“Unfortunately.”

The reply came out as more of a biting retort and a wry grin suddenly curled itself onto O’Donnell’s lips. “Aye, ye really must be then.”

Sighing heavily, Evelyn looked over to her amused companion and then back up at her classmate again. “Warren this Merrick O’Donnell, a family friend. O’Donnell, this is Warren Peace.”

O’Donnell held out an offered hand, surprising Evelyn when Warren actually took it.

“Nice to make yer acquaintance, Mr. Peace. I hope she’s not too much trouble for ye ta handle. She can be quite the spitfire when she wants ta be.”

Warren raised an eyebrow in faint amusement. “I can imagine,” he replied dryly, “So, what can I get for you two tonight?”

O’Donnell smiled politely, ever the well-mannered gentleman as usual. His eyes sparkled humorously. “I think I’ll live dangerously tonight. I’ll take the special. And you, lass…?”

“Just water. You can eat for the both of us, O’Donnell.”

“Aye that I can.”

Warren nodded. “I’ll be right back then.” Hastily, he retreated.

The young man’s absence made O’Donnell grin back toward the scowling young woman sitting across from him. “Well, lass, if my old eyes and ears don’t deceive me, I think ye are starting to warm up to him.”

“Not even remotely,” Evelyn scoffed. “I wasn’t even aware he worked here… Now, as much as I would love to catch up, O’Donnell, I know this isn’t a social call. You mind telling me what’s going on?”

O’Donnell sighed heavily. This girl was most certainly her mother’s daughter.

“-Did Stick put you up to this?”

The Scotsman wrinkled his nose at the accusation, replying rather bitingly, “Na. What kind of person do ye take me for, girl? I happen to ‘ave no real connection to that old Cooke, I haven’t for years, unlike yer dear mother, god rest ‘er soul.”

Evelyn sighed. “Are you in trouble then?” She asked, her eyes shining with slight concern.

O’Donnell shook his head. “No, lass… look, I made a promise to yer mother that if anything should happen to ‘er, I’d take care of ya and keep ya safe as best I could… the Old man and I agreed long ago that he was the best choice for yer safety.”

“I figured as much.”

“-I’ve tracked ye down 'cause I need to warn ya,” he began, his eyes locking sternly onto hers, “Word has somehow leaked out that you’re no longer under the Old Man’s protection. He has a spy in his midst, lass, someone in his camp that can cover their tracks and connections extremely well.”

Evelyn frowned skeptically. “I don’t see what reason would be behind it. Only someone apart of the Hand would be able to put themselves past Stick’s defenses if they were cunning enough to do it.”

“Precisely.”

“-The Hand has been wiped out for years, O’Donnell, you were there for it.”

“Aye,” O’Donnell agreed, “That I was… but…”

“But what?”… At the crest fallen look that crossed his face, Evelyn breathed out a heavy sigh, her voice soft, “Something went wrong, didn’t it?”

O’Donnell nodded, his shoulders sagging, “After tha night you were abducted and yer mom died,” he began, “we killed everyone in that camp. I killed a lot of men that night, Evelyn, a lot. There was only one survivor and I refused to kill a child, just as the other men did… tha child was Kirigi's son, lass. The son of the Hand’s leader that yer mum killed a year before you were born…”

“So you think it’s the surviving boy that’s after me…?”

“Who else,” O’Donnell answered, his brow creasing, “Look, Lass, he has his father and his grandfather’s resources. I couldn’t kill a mere boy at the age of seven. It isn’t my style and it most certainly isn’t yer mother’s. All I know, is that whatever is left of the Hand is comin’ for ye… and I think that super school yer apart of now might be expectin’ some form of trouble from it. Be weary, lass, and be extremely careful, eh?”

Evelyn frowned, her eyes flashing with brief suspicion. “How did you know about the school?”

O’Donnell winked, a sudden smile spreading itself cheekily across his features. “I have my connections, some even surpassing the Old Man’s.”

“Your wicked humor and cryptic-ness astounds me,” Evelyn stated dryly, her eyes gazing up as Warren approached the table. Idly she wondered just how much the boy might have overheard before reaching them…

“Aye, as well it should, my dear.”

“One special and one glass of water,” Warren stated dryly, setting the items down smoothly onto the tabletop. His face was set in a calm and unreadable expression, but his eyes flickered calculatingly over towards Evelyn, almost in near suspicion.

Obviously he had overheard some brief snippets of their conversation, and it didn’t non-too well fit to his liking. His stare of intensity spoke volumes and Evelyn frowned visibly toward his direction.

A well-arched eyebrow shot up at her withering look. “We’ll talk later,” he ordered tonelessly.

O’Donnell thought the exchange was highly amusing. The boy had issued it as an order and if Evelyn was anything like her mother, she’d take a high offence to it, often even taking it up as a challenge.

These two were quite an unusual pair of young people…

“Thank ye, lad. I’m leavin’ after this so that should give ye two kids time, eh?”

He couldn’t help the smile that accompanied his words. The smoldering glare that met his laughing eyes proved everything, down even to his own hidden suspicions. The boy would probably make a good ally for the little lass, especially if he attended the very same school that he had made mention of earlier.

Warren nodded. “Nice meeting you then.”

“Likewise, Mr. Peace, ye take good care of me niece now. And don’t let her fierce nature scare you, she’s quite an amusing young woman underneath all tha hostility she apparently has. Women ya know, they can’t seem to lose it.”

Warren cracked a slight smile, especially at the glare Evelyn tossed icily toward her companion. He was quite a funny character, friendly and highly charismatic, completely opposite to the girl that sat scowling across from him.

Despite what he had overheard, the man seemed earnest, if not protective enough.

Silently, Warren shot one last, stern look at Evelyn and then took his leave, his strides purposeful as he made his way towards the back kitchens.

O’Donnell smiled brightly before digging into his food, stating calmly all the while, “Quite the charming young lad, my girl, I like him already.”

Evelyn scoffed at him, her hand cupping absently around her drink. “You would, he’s about as much of an ass as you are.”

The smile never faulted from his face. “Heh. If tha’s not far from the truth then, I think he’ll come to grow on ye.”

Rolling her eyes in skeptical protest, Evelyn decided to change the subject, asking rather good-naturedly, “So, what have you been doing lately…? Have you retired or do old habits die hard?”

O’Donnell chuckled. “Yer too much like yer old mum that it scares me.”

“Well, I could be more blunt about it but I’ve decided to keep the conversation more low key, just in case if you have the FBI or CIA after your tail again. Why make things easy?”

“Aye, lass, I know. I’m retired now, in case if ye’d forgotten.”

Evelyn smiled at him fondly, her eyes laughing as she leaned back more comfortably against her seat. “I haven’t. But as I’ve come to realize, old dogs don’t learn new tricks, my friend, unless of course your new mission is to baby-sit me and that you’re going to have to pick a number and wait in line for.”

“I detect bitterness and now yer humor is astounding me.”

Evelyn snorted derisively.

O’Donnell sighed; the girl’s stubbornness was most certainly an unrelenting trait for her. It was something well-inherited that would no doubt ever leave.“People are only tryin to protect ya, you gotta understand that, lass. It’s something that yer mum would’ve wanted and there’s too much loss and tragedy that follows in her name, just as it does in yer own, I'm afraid.”

Evelyn nodded somberly but her voice was firm. “Don’t ask me to like it. I don’t. Stick’s secrecy in doing it already is only making me angry.”

“Ha! That doesn’t surprise me in the least…”

“There’s more to what’s going on, O’Donnell, more in what’s being said and done.”

O’Donnell frowned. “I don’t know wha yer gettin’ at?”

“I get sent to a high school with super-powered kids out of the blue and now I’m being told there’s a spy in his camp and the Hand isn’t quite eliminated as previously thought. I think he knows there’s a spy and he knows about Kirigi's son.”

O’Donnell smiled thinly. “Aye. And if there be a Hand member in his encampment where would be the next safe place to put ya, eh?”

“Sky High.”

“Me thinks you’ve just figured out a question that has been bothering ye but then that leads to another… Does the Hand know about the school…? That, I’m na too sure about. But I can tell ye one thing though.”

“And what’s that?”

“If they do, you’re gonna gain a slew of unknown enemies. That boy has connections to many bad men and people and if he’s anythin’ like his grandfather, he’ll use the influence he has at his disposal, which is why I’m telling ya to be careful.”

“There’s something else, O’Donnell.”

“And what would tha be?”

“Stick apparently has some sort of important contact with the teachers of that school. My powers are growing and the principal refuses to tell me what’s happening under his wishes… this new information about the Hand though, I’m not even sure if the faculty are aware of it.”

O’Donnell grinned, almost in sly appreciation. “Keepin’ secrets left and right, tha about sums up the Old Man. He’s a cunning ol’ fox, I’ll give ‘im tha. But his motives, I know for certain, are for yer protection. Don’t get too cross with ‘im, eh?”

“Unfortunately, that’s a difficult request to make.”

“Heh. Aye, I know."

**********************

After sitting down tersely into the booth, Warren Peace placed the blemished dishtowel off of his shoulder and took the candle from the center table, his finger snapping abruptly to light the top wick with an undaunted, conspicuous grace.

His hand smoothly retreated, his arms crossing together onto the table in a well-composed silence.

The flame flickered in a teasing rhythm, casting an ethereal glow against the intense and ruggedly dark contours of his face. His eyes, enthralling and expectant, stared with forceful intensity across the counter top at her.

Evelyn, neither intimidated nor fearful, merely stared back with a deep, voiding silence to match his own. The dim lighting shimmered across at her, softening the orbs of deep green eyes and highlighting the long, brown strands splayed gently down the slopes of her shoulders to appear almost like a rippling waterfall of amber-colored streaks.

O’Donnell had left earlier, giving her a soft, fond smile and a whisper of a kiss onto her cheek. He had promised to remain in touch and to call or expect his appearance if anything awry should happen in his absence. He gave Warren the bill and a decently sized tip, exchanging a few quiet words with him that was beyond Evelyn’s earshot. She could only imagine what had been said between the two and more than likely, it had something to do specifically with her.

“As much as I loved the staring game as a child, its not as much fun as it used to be,” Evelyn remarked cynically, breaking the heavy and deeply awkward silence that seemed to hover and linger between them.

Warren merely sat stone-faced, assessing her quietly. His reply came out firm and gruff, a tone left at best for people he regarded coolly. “I’m not here to spy or tattle for the principal. If you think that then you’re an idiot.”

Evelyn raised an eyebrow sardonically at his bluntness before shifting her lips into a small, cynical smirk. “Fair enough,” she replied. “To tell you the truth, I was just informing you that I don’t want a baby-sitter, it didn’t matter if that was your intention or not at the time. I don’t trust people, as you may have well come to realize. Whether you’re in some high-powered super school or not, it’s of little consequence to me. I just want people out of my life and out of my business; I have enough people trying to get themselves involved in it already… Now, seeing as you’re here talking to me, I’m assuming you have a motive behind it.”

His eyes seemed to flicker in understanding to her words, almost as if he could relate to them. Whatever anger he had seemed to dissipate at a less inferior rate and he spoke firmly. “If I’m going to end up being unwillingly involved in anything, I at least want to know what I’m getting myself into. Whether you like it or not, we’re stuck with each other for the rest of this year. I’m not exactly happy about it either.”

“Whoever said you were going to be involved in anything, especially with issues involving my life?”

Warren gazed at her intently, his eyes darkening. “I’m far from being stupid, Elektra, so cut the crap,” he snapped impatiently, “I know from the meeting with the highlander that just left the restaurant that you weren’t just sent here to figure out your abilities. You were sent here to escape and hide from something, people from the sounds of it.”

“And if you think it was willingly,” Evelyn snapped back harshly, “then you’re an idiot. I don’t come from growing up in a well-developed ignorant childhood like you or your buddies may have. So, I’m sorry if I’ve messed up the protective proverbial “bubble” that are you and your friends’ lives in high school. I don’t even want to be here. You can place that blame on a secretive old man that’s half way around the world right now.”

“First off,” Warren growled, “You know nothing about me. Secondly, I want to know just exactly what you do and you had better start explaining. I don’t want any surprises for this year, I had my share the last.”

Evelyn regarded him coolly, unfazed but contemplative. Sitting in silent assessment across from her, Warren found that it was odd with this girl. Her anger was controlled but she could go from hot to cold within a short span of seconds and to be quite honest, it both intrigued and unnerved him all at once.

“If I tell you and when I say if, you speak of it to no one… telling you this, I might just come to regret it later.”

“You’re forgetting that I’m just about as popular as you are,” Warren shot back dryly.

Meeting his eyes, Evelyn sighed heavily. “I think its best if I start from the beginning then…”

8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8

“For thousands of years an age-old war was waged. There are warriors of darkness, who harness the destructive powers of chaos and death and then there are warriors of light, those who practice under the disciplined ways of Kimagure, the ability to master through time, life, and even death itself… Both of these sides in war would seek out the treasure, a lost soul who was birthed as a weapon to tip the balance of either good or evil, a child and a motherless daughter-“

Warren frowned, arching a skeptical eyebrow as he snorted derisively. “You’re joking, right?”

His eyes searched hers and Evelyn gazed back at him icily.

“Do I look like the comical type to you, Peace?”

At his silence, Evelyn replied rather condescendingly, “Didn’t think so… my family is born of them and I am, unfortunately, the third generation of a “treasure”. The Hand is made up of all the dark forces, the elite of them the most powerful and most destructive. Kirigi, the son of the Hand’s most eldest and powerful leader, murdered my grandmother, when my mother was but a child. My mother dedicated her life to their destruction; she even became a Baji assassin in order to wipe them out by their numbers.

“For the most part, all the Hand has ever truly been to my family is a group of murdering men that kill and split apart children from their parents, just to gain a young weapon that they think will be useful to win their war. My mother was completely out of their grasp. She studied under the ways of Kimagure but my Sensei has always thought that she had a lot of anger and rage held within her, too much that often at times it blinded her...

“She killed Kirigi after protecting another girl that was suppose to become the next in line as a chosen weapon. After that, she began a new life and had me in the process…”

Warren leaned back in the chair, perplexed. It was most certainly a lot to take in all at once and if she was fabricating a lie, it was most certainly a very good one. He highly doubted it, however, because her eyes held anger and also a wistful sadness behind every word she had just spoken.

And he thought he had problems… hers seemed far worse in living through. It was but of realistic consequence that she was just as guarded, if not even more, than he was.

Evelyn gazed at him warily, studying him with keen eyes that, at present time, seemed far older to him. “Do you wish me to continue or leave it at that? There’s a lot more that follows it.”

“You’ve been hiding all your life, haven’t you?” he asked quietly.

Evelyn smiled sadly, “Sort of. I’ve been under the protection of Kimagure masters ever since my mother died, it’s been the only real safe place for me to stay.”

Warren nodded and gestured for her to continue.

“I was abducted as a child by the Hand. They knew to do it, it would take a lot of undertaking and unlike my grandmother, my own mother is a lot harder to kill.”

She sighed tiredly, her eyes distant as if she were re-living the memory in her own mind for no doubt the hundredth time in her young life… “My mother died saving me that night. She managed to kill the elder leader of the Hand and many of its elite representatives. O’Donnell and his men killed the rest.”

“So that’s where he comes in,” Warren stated. He looked calmly in pensive silence over at Evelyn. “Why is he here then if they were wiped out years ago?”

“O’Donnell and I believe I was sent here because despite Stick’s secrecy, there’s been a spy caught in the midst of the Kimagure encampment. Also, O’Donnell told me that someone was left alive, the son of Kirigi and the grandson of the Hand’s leader. He was seven at the time the clan was murdered and O’Donnell told me that he was left alive. I even remember seeing a little boy there during my imprisonment but I didn’t really know who he was at the time.”

“So, O’Donnell came to warn you where your Sensei didn’t?”

Evelyn nodded grudgingly. “He keeps too many secrets from me, a habit that I don’t like nor appreciate. My mother disliked it immensely also, last I recall.”

Warren leaned on his elbows more heavily against the table, his eyes contemplative as he stared intently at the candle flame.

“The boy is probably my own age now,” Evelyn continued quietly, “if not a year or two older, and he has whatever resources are left from his family’s past dealings. Stick probably sent me here not just for the sake of uncovering more about my powers but as a precaution to protect me from them in particular. O’Donnell isn’t even sure if they know about Sky High. If they do, then there’s not a whole lot I can do about it, except wait and watch my back.”

“That’s it…?” Warren asked. “What’s he going to want with you, anyway?”

Evelyn shrugged. “I don’t know,” she answered honestly, “If it’s over blood spilt, I’d say we should be even by now. But, with the Hand, you never know. My whole family was wiped out and murdered by them. My mother killed his grandfather as well as his father. I’m not sure if they're going to come after me out of vengeance or to gain my ability as a weapon. Only time will tell, I guess.”

His eyes gazed over at her calculating silence. Her life hadn’t been easy; far more tragedy was involved in hers than in his. No wonder.

She stared up at him and smiled sadly. It was strange to her, telling a complete stranger her story, yet, she never talked about it to anyone before now. She never had to. Her life was a closed book, shut up and left on a musty, old shelf and available only to those that had actually lived during the years of her mother’s life.

“So,” Evelyn finished, regaining her composure, “that is what is happening and that is what you’re paranoid about getting involved in. Don’t worry. I highly doubt it. I’ll make certain every black and red hair is still attached to your head by the time I leave.”

Warren snorted at her attempt at humor and asked quietly, “Does Principal Powers know about any of this?”

“Not too my knowledge, no. O’Donnell just told me to watch my back and he’ll more than likely be here if anything new comes up. Now, is there anything else you need to ask? As it would seem, I’ve just gained the attention of your friends on the other side of the room.”

Warren shrugged, not even bothering to look in their direction. “Not really.” He stood up quietly, whatever thoughts he had; he pretty much kept them to himself. He felt bad enough asking her things which now seemed too personal already. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

Evelyn nodded and stood up herself. “Goodnight then, Peace.”

Soundlessly, she headed out the door and into the clean, night air, feeling as if a burden had been lifted square off of her shoulders for once in her life.

Maybe it wasn’t too bad if at least someone knew…

“Goodnight,” Warren whispered back. His gaze watched her retreating form in contemplative silence until she was safely outside and gone from his sight. And then, hesitantly, it strayed over toward the eager eyes of his friends…

‘Great…’