Secrets Hidden Within Pt. 03

"It was two years ago. It was pretty bad, because some people thought I had a mental breakdown or something, but it was truly hard to think that she was gone, or even dating, or getting married again. I was scared, and people feared me, they had a right to be afraid. I guess I wanted to live in the past. But you taught me something."

"I did?" I asked. I was surprised.

"Yeah. You taught me, just to get over it. It's done, over. You got to stop grieving and live your life. Don't focus on the little things; focus on the things that matter."

"How did I teach you that?" I asked in a confused voice.

"It's how you acted or something. I don't know."

"After all that happened, did you go outside and people do something?"

"Actually there were occasions." Rememorizing.

"What happened?"

"Well, I went out for coffee, because I knew I had to get over her death. So I went out to get some coffee and people just stared at me. But some hot shot wanted some attention. So he got up and walked over and stopped in front of the table. 'Look everybody! It's the retarded person who can't get over his wife.' he said. He started to giggle, and people started to laugh.

"I got up and started to walk away. But he stood in front of me. It got quiet fast. 'Where do you think you're going?' Being just a smartass. 'Get out of my way, Roger.' I took a step away from him, but he stepped in front of me again. 'It's none of your god damn business.' 'Just tell me, I'm curious.' 'Get out of my way.' I got out of the corner that he trapped me in and turned my back around him. 'Hey no one walks away from me!'

"He gripped my shoulder. I shrugged it off, and said 'Then I'm a no body.' But then he turned me around and was about to punch me, but I blocked it and he only hit my arm. And then he tried another hit, but I blocked that blow and then I did a full blow to the jaw. And that flung him back and he hit the seat that I was just in. He had fear in his eyes. I walked toward him and said, 'Roger, when someone says Get out of my way, get out of the way. And left him laying on the seat in stony silence."

"Did you have to deal with the police?" Wondering. I would do the same thing.

"Yes and no. They came and asked me questions, but I told them the truth, and they left and they did nothing but actually charged Roger." I only giggled.

"I guess he learned his lesson." He got up out of his chair and walked toward me. He took the glass from my fingertips and took a swallow. He sat it down on a nearby table. He only looked at me. I stared into his green eyes. I saw wonder and desire in them. And I know where this was going.

"I'm . . .ahhh . . . , are you hungry? Because I am." I smiled a fake smile. I walked away from his reach.

"I am hungry, but not for food." Shit, I knew I shouldn't have asked him that. My mind was screaming. I was still backing up from him when I hit the kitchen wall; he was practically on top of me. "I don't think this is a good idea." I stammered. But then I was trapped between him and the wall. He had his arms blocking the way out.

He was so close that I could smell him. I was tensing, but I should remain calm. I was ready to say something else, but then he was kissing me. It was light at first, but then he went a little deeper. I tried to fight but I went with it. I was weakening. When he broke the kiss, I was breathless. Now I knew he was a good kisser. Great! What did I get myself into?

"Listen, maybe you should think about this." I stammered.

"There is nothing to think about except the couch or the bed." I gulped, this is going critical. He moved in for another kiss. He only got to my lips because I pushed him away.

"Stop!" I gripped my control in my mind and got it. My mind was spinning. "Listen Zack, it's not going to work out." He only looked at me blankly. I could still see the hunger in his eyes, but not as fierce. "I'm sorry, and you are a great guy, but. . . "He cut me off. I could now see that hurt replaced the hunger.

"But, I'm not the one. I'm not good enough. What is it? Take your pick!" He snapped. I was still trapped in his arms. He was like a rock.

"Zack, I sorry, but I'm married."

"Oh." Understanding washed over his face. But he was still hurt, but understood. He stepped away from me, and was shuffling toward the computer. But then he stopped and looked back at me. "Who is it and how long?"

"Logan Cael. And I got married to him when I was thirty-nine. I still love him, and I'm not going to cheat on him." I explained. He nodded and went to his computer. I felt guilty. "Zack?" I called after him. I heard him typing away on his computer. I walked toward the doorway. I looked in and he looked clearly upset.

"Did you find anything?" Trying to forget the scene that almost happened in the kitchen. It reminded of me and Logan one day in Professor Xavier's school's kitchen.

"Yeah, and it's something interesting." Forgot the scene and now all focused on the screen.

"What?" Now impatient, I rushed toward the screen. I read my file and I knew something was wrong.

"My god." He said with sickness in his voice.

"God damn them!" I said slowly. What it said shocked me. This is what the page said.

File Number: X5454

Name: Maxe Mae Guevara

Abilities: Everything.

DOB: April 25, 1942

Killed: 71

Wounded: 58

Transgenics killed: 45

Analysis: Very dangerous. Depends on what level and abilities the transgenics have in order to beat her. Otherwise they're dead. We have been studying her for all her life.

Vulnerablability: Her family. Logan Cael (husband, but no file, at seas), Jesse Cael (daughter, lawyer in New York), and Cody Cael (son, in school in New York).

And so on, with the physical and mental health. But, I couldn't believe it. They were following me my whole life. They were going to kill us that day, but Sabretooth had interfered with their plans. But why? The only explanation, Magneto.

Zack stared at her for a few minutes with a worried look. She looked confused or trying to fit it all together, but not succeeding.

"Maxe?" That brought me out of my daze. But now I wore a confused or total understanding on my face. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah, fine. But my life is a big, giant, fucking puzzle. I just can't piece it together. I don't know all the pieces yet. Or can't find the rest. My parents hid them from me. They didn't want me to find out. They thought I would get hurt. But I end up did. I don't have all the pieces and I need them to finish this god damn puzzle piece." I chose my words carefully.

"Want me to find something else for you?" He looked up at me with knowing eyes.

"No. Wait, look something up for a trip to Africa. Like on a boat, not a plane. They would know. I really got to lie low now." I left the room and went to the den.

12

I left the room and then to the den. I looked at the still smoldering spot in the floor. I went to the window and looked out in the starry night. It was lovely sight if I wasn't all mixed up inside. But then I felt a need to go out and in to the nice fresh air.

So I walked to the front door, and looked back to see if he was following, but he wasn't. I opened the door and nothing happened but cool nice air enveloped me. I stepped out and let the moonlight shine down on the only person that is truly different.

I walked on and tried to sort things out, but they kept on shifting and changing. But then I just wanted to be free from this nuisance. But then I let my mind wander to anything it wanted to be. And I thought about what my mom said when she died.

Maxe keep this. Then she gave me her necklaces of the river stone and dragon claw. You'll need these on your journeys. They will help you through anything. She continued. I love you Maxe, and you know that. You will have tough challenges on your way but you'll survive. She choked but drank her own blood. You will have a great man in your life, and he'll save you a couple times but the rest is yours. I will always be in your heart! But then something clicked. I stopped. Something was not right in what she said. I rethought it, and it was the stone and the dragon claw that she was talking about. You'll need these on your journeys. They will help you through anything.

What was she talking about? I looked down to where the stone and claw lay slightly below the hollow part of my neck. What did she mean by that? I rubbed the stone and marble and then took them off and stared at it. I didn't know what she meant by the stone or claw but something was weird with the stone. I could feel a presence or something in it. But it was a good presence, not an evil one.

But then I felt a little dizzy. I was hypnotized by the stone; my eyes couldn't leave the stone. Everything turned black; I couldn't see anything except the stone. But then it started to fade away into nothing. It felt like I was totally drunk. I was warping into another world.

But it felt like I was so small and big at the same time. My mouth was dry; my heart was beating so hard that it gave me a headache. But then my vision started to clear and I saw everything. The galaxy, the Milky Way, the planets, everything. It was so beautiful. But then I started to move at incredible speed to Earth. But the grass was purple, and the sky was green.

But what I saw scared me to death. Bodies everywhere. It looked like they were there for awhile, but they were everywhere. Some trying to reach to something, as if trying to stop or get to somewhere. But then I took my gaze off the bodies and now I was looking at the sun. It had crumbled into thousands of pieces in the sky. The terror that was building in my body a minute ago was at total level now. I was terrified. I never was this scared before.

I heard a something on the dead planet, so I looked at it. It was a man in his forties. He looked calm and relaxed, as if he expected to see me. He was staring right at me.

"Hello, X5454." He said. But then there was a flash of brilliant light. It blinded me. But then I was somewhere else.

It looked like an old warehouse. I turned around seeing old leaky pipes, but then I saw the man. He was jumping rope. But then another man came into view.

"White" he said, "X 5454 killed Jack Moonkraft."

"What happened to him?" He didn't stop. It didn't come as a shock to him.

"She bit him, sir."

"What?" Coming to a stop this time. He stared at him stupidly.

"I guess she was a vampire and killed him, because he turned into one of them."

"Great, she is even stronger than I expected at this time." He paused to think. "If we are going to get her, we might want to do it soon." He looked at him some more and then the man left, and he started to jump rope again. But then he looked up at me.

"I'm going to get you someday X5454. Someday." And he started to laugh. It was hatred and cold laughter. The one that brings chills up your spine and leaves goose bumps behind.

Then I was being sucked backward. I heard a voice but it was very far away, but then it came closer, and closer.

"Maxe. Maxe!" Zack was shaking me awake. "Maxe! Are you okay?" He had a concerned look on his face.

I groaned. My bones were stiff, and I could see the sun rising. I must have been there lying there for awhile. The cold was biting at me. I felt very numb; I could barely feel my fingers. I felt weakened, but refreshed.

"Are you okay?" He asked again while holding me into a sitting position.

"Damn it. Yeah, I guess." But then I remembered everything with a crash. "Zack, I was looking into the stone and I saw the world dead. Everybody dead. The grass was purple and the sky was green. The sun was in thousands of pieces, and there was a man." I said slowly and in a mystified voice.

He thought I was crazy now. "I'm not nuts." I yelled. "I know what I saw."

"Okay, I believe you." He promised. But his eyes didn't mean it. "Let's get you inside before you get pneumonia."

"I don't get sick easily." I promised.

"But with how long you were outside, I'm not going to trust that promise." I shook my head and it ached. He helped me up and I staggered a little. My bones were stiff for being there too long.

Zack kept a hold on my shoulder so I was all right and not tip over. But I managed the walk. He took me to the couch and I plopped down on it.

"So what happened?" He asked.

"I told you! Did you find a boat going to Africa?" I wondered. I put my necklaces on.

"Yeah, but that's not important right now."

"Yes it is. I'm sorry to say, but you have to come with me. Otherwise White and his goons are going to come after you and kill you for your powers, or what you can do." His eyes grew serious. "Yes they will keep on coming until you're dead!"

"Okay, well then, yeah I did find a boat for us to hop on and drag along."

"Good, but after we are in Africa, I have to take off again. And I can't have you tagging along with me. My life is very dangerous of what I saw and read. You even read it. Now you promise me, that you'll stay low. And do not tag behind me!"

"I promise." His eyes didn't move, but it sounded fake to my ears.

"You got to mean it Zack!" This time he promised truly.

13

Next week we got in the boat with my power of invisibility. We had to stay in the bottom, otherwise we would get caught. One time it was really close. I had to zap a guy's memory in order to not be found.

One night he had to tell me the bad news of the trip.

"Just so you know this thing only stops at Africa. It doesn't stay there." Zack said to me. We were hiding in the darkness for three days, and he tells me this now.

"That is going to make the boat escape hard." I groaned. I heard a distant noise coming our way. "Shh...." He quieted once more. Now I heard gruff voices.

"Yeah, did you hear about the escapee? At that weird hospital?" Said a rough voice.

"Yeah, I heard about that. They said it was a vampire. Do you believe that?" said the other.

"I don't know Frank. I heard a lot of stuff happening up there. How about this? That woman over in America, that is supposedly over here telling her life story? Huh? Do you believe that one?" he asked.

"I don't believe that. That girl is tough! She killed how many people, and yet police won't arrest her. Heck, they couldn't find her in so many years! She kicks ass! Hell! If she was in front of me now, I would be scared shitless, yet I would ask for an autograph. But I would probably get killed." Frank said in dismay. I felt bad, I knew I could prove him wrong, but now was not the time. They were closer, I could hear their breathing, their heartbeats, and yet they were still far away. I was thinking if I should prove them wrong or not.

14

Howie was looking at the pile of boxes when Frank said that. He was thinking, when he saw movement there.

"Yeah, you're probably right. I would do the same thing. Something is over there." He pointed to the boxes, and they both stopped in their tracks. Frank looked over.

"I don't see anything." But then they heard a voice.

"Of course you don't see me. I don't need to be seen. I am the great, but not all too great. People think I'm just an animal. But I'm not. I'm just different." said the voice.

"Who's there? Show yourself." Frank said in a shaky voice. A shape started to form in front of the boxes. Howie and Frank were scared now.

"You already know me. In fact you're speaking of me." The thing sounded proud. It stood erect, waiting for something to happen. It looked strong and smart, as if it knew if this was another problem it had to face it had a plan to get out of this situation.

"You're the woman?" Frank said with fascination and dread.

"Yes, I'm the woman you speak of. But I need your help." She came forward. Her body we could see, but her face was still in shadows. But her eyes burned with light. Frank and Howie thought, this is her, the great and powerful Max!

"I will not kill you in the end but, you got to keep this a secret. You got it?" She whispered. They both shook their heads.

"Please senorita, May we see your face." Howie said in a pleading voice. He was excited as Frank was.

"If I must." And she came into the light.

Such a beautiful and yet dangerous thing they saw. She had vibes and waves coming toward you, as if to say Stay back, but Come. Her eyes were cold, dangerous, and yet wise. They told you that she would never break a promise, you could trust her, and don't ever cross her, or don't get in my way. She was dangerous yet kind. Is that ever a good mix?

Chapter 8

Kitty Vacation

So they were our friends, friends that were afraid of us. But that didn't cross my mind. I was on vacation, vacation at last. I never had one until now. And I'm going to be 52 years old on April 25! So here I go laying low in Africa! Boy I wish Logan was here with me.

There were so many different plans I can do in Africa. But I got to keep low. That's not going to be easy. I'll read a few books, hang out in the zone, and straighten things up in my head. Sounds good. But it just doesn't feel right. Maybe because I was always busy, and now I have time off, and take a cruise.

1

Nothing happened much at Africa. I was out of Howie's and Frank's mind (at least I think so). Zack kept following, until one day, they almost caught us.

I was walking through the streets (him right behind me), when I felt something wrong. As if I was being watched. I kept on walking trying to psych them out.

"Zack?" He came right by my side. Good Doggie! Why can't you stay though! I thought coldly.

"Yeah?" He looked concerned.

"Something is wrong. People are watching us, and it's not the village people." I said cautiously.

"What are you thinking?" Trying to read my mind, but he doesn't have that power like I do.

"What I am thinking is that they caught us. Manticore men. I feel their eyes on me as if I was at a county fair and Sweet Heart is eyeing the thing he is trying to get for his date." I studied the crowd. I could not see them yet. They must be behind us. I was pumped up with adrenaline. I could feel it and my blood beating against the veins.

I saw him looking at me gravely. He was pale as a paper. I ignored him as the rest of the people chattered by us. But then I was in the zone, also in my Mind's eye (vision).

I saw a hand cock a gun. It was a machine gun.

The finger was already on the trigger. Tightening as the shooter aimed.

I was still in the zone. But I whispered to him as I went. "Down." But then I fully came out of it as I heard the crash of the bullets coming out of the chamber.

I dived, caught Zack's leg, and hit the ground.

"How many goddamn times do I have to save your life? JesusChristbannas." He just kept on looking at me. The thundering kept on coming. I heard people screaming, smelling their fear, saw them falling to the ground dead, and I could feel their warm blood scattering on my back and face.

"We have to get out of here now, before we are dead!" I screamed at him. He nodded. But he made no move. "Crawl, soldier!" I screamed in his face. He started to crawl, and I crawled after him.

I kept on hearing screams, people falling, and all that. A person never wants to have that experience. I felt bad for them. I was the one they were after. Damn, this was the time that I wish I was never born! But it's my life. It would be lucky if someone lives from this mess.

2

"Reports today are very strange. In Africa, there were terrorists. They had machine guns and killed the whole town Mewaki. No one came out alive. Reports say they were their government.

"In other reports today..."

He shut off the TV. He thought Yeah, they were terrorists. But they weren't their government, but American's government. He smiled a cold smile. I wonder if they got X5454. He hoped they did. He looked around the room. Dingy, dark, sinister. Why was he here when he could be on a cruise or something? He needed a break. This transgenic is hard to catch. He looked out the wind and thought about all of them. He should kill them. They were worthless. America will have to deal with them themselves. And he went to his thoughts.