“This is gonna be easy.” Sasha laughed in the creep’s face. She slid out from underneath the startled boy with ease and her spiky heel found his temple with no problem. She could practically see the outline of his face just from the sound of his labored breathing. She suddenly remembered the words of her beloved teacher.
“Closer your eyes and you will see.” And she did see. The heel did it’s work temporarily paralyzing him. He groaned like a wounded animal and that is exactly what he was at the moment. She listened for the other two and realized she was more excited and alive than she had felt ever since her mother died. She was enjoying this! Right behind her. She spun around without effort and kicked the first one in the head. As her foot came down she took her fist and jammed it between the legs of the other boy.
“Fuck! What the fuck lady?” They definitely weren’t French. He had a slight English accent and Sasha reached for the voice and her fingers clasped around the skinny throat squeezing his Adam’s apple just so and as she secured her grip with her right hand her left leg found the guy on the ground who was grabbing his head. Her heel targeted his eardrum this time and insinuated itself with speed and precision. He had no idea what was happening to him only that his ear hurt more than anything he had ever felt before in his short rebellious life.
“One move asshole and I shatter your eardrum. Got it?” She was enjoying her new found power and it felt as if all the hatred and rage accumulated over a lifetime of playing the good girl had finally found an outlet. Then without warning she felt incredibly weak as if all her energy had been sucked out of her. She threw the last man standing into the wall smashing the back of his head into the same tile which had moments ago caused her to blackout. She ran up the stairs while buttoning her blouse. It’s funny the things one does in a crisis. She smoothed her hair and made herself presentable again. Her legs were becoming heavy and her vision started to blur.
“You’ve got to be kidding….” She felt an overwhelming desire to lay down there on the sidewalk. She remembered her teacher again.
“Fall down six times stand up seven.” His kind eyes peering out at her through the depths of his wise soul. Oh how she had loved her teacher! She began remembering other things as well. The monastery on the mountainside. The other samurai she had trained with. The endless hours of meditating on cold stone floors ignoring the searing pain that ran through her tired body. Mind over matter. The hunger and the gratitude of a small bowl of rice at the end of the day filled with training and more training came back to her with startling clarity. It was all there like a missing piece of her mind. It swirled about her threatening to devour her. She looked up and tried to focus her eyes on something.
“What’s happening to me?” She whispered. Was this the beginning of madness maybe inherited from her mother? Darkness was rapid in it’s approach. The last thing she remembered was the man in black. The man on the stairs with the expensive clothing was supporting her as she was sinking away into oblivion. He was telling her something but she was far too gone to grasp it’s meaning. His lips were moving and sounds were coming out but they meant nothing to her.
“It’s alright Sasha. I know what’s happenign to you and you are going to be just fine.” He said this in a flat comforting voice. It caused Sasha to smile and before her eyes closed their heavy lids she looked at him for a brief moment of sanity and she whispered.
“I knew it was you.” With that she was gone.
“Of course you did darling.” His hand brushed the hair out of her face and he scooped her up gracefully and placed her into the back of his car while ignoring the look of shock on the driver’s face. “Take us home.” Was all he said to the chauffer who had recovered his standing and muttered professionally.
“Right away sir.” He closed the door on the unconscious woman in the back seat and jumped into the driver’s seat to whisk them off into the cool, damp Parisian night.
MOTHER OF GODS
Ellen stared out of the window of her pretty room in Orleans. She knew that Celine would be coming back from Paris soon and she hoped that she was bringing good news with her. She understood that Celine was protecting her. She’d already been absconded once and they couldn’t take the chance of that happening a second time. Celine had told her awful stories of corporate intrigue and dangerous happening to the most innocent of people Ellen shrank away in horror thinking that she had barely escaped such a sinister ending herself. She even understood why Celine didn’t tell her that she was transporting her to the country out of harm’s way. The less Ellen knew the better off everyone would be at least that is what they all kept telling her. Celine had been overly generous financially over the whole escapade as long as Ellen signed the confidentiality papers she was pretty much on her way to being wealthy. She was flustered at the amount that Celine threw carelessly into her checking account just for being so patient and good natured about the whole thing. The isolation was beginning to be more than just an inconvenience and Ellen found herself dreaming of her tacky lovely little apartment filled with all her sentimental knick knacks. She knew her few friends would begin to miss her and the other people in the aparment building would surely wonder how such a quiet and responsible woman could just disappear overnight. Also she was bored. She was used to doing a million things at Celgen and now there was nothing for her to do except read and watch television and eat the fattening meals made by the insipid Sophie. Ellen knew that Sophie spoke English as she heard her talking to Celine the other day though she always pretended she didn’t know a word of her language whenever she had any contact with Ellen. It was maddening. She couldn’t tell on her to Celine without sounding petty and ungrateful and she knew that Celine liked this peasant enormously. She trusted the care of this fabulous house to the fat middle aged woman and that had to mean something. She looked out the window and watched the sun setting across the rolling countryside. Soon it would be dark and she would hear the strange sounds coming from the woods nearby. They were awful cries and when she asked about them she was told that it was a deer or moose in their mating rituals. She had never heard of such a thing and had always been a city girl, knowing nothing of the country. The sounds frightened her every night. It sounded like someone crying out in angst and terror and loneliness. It was the most awful sound she had ever heard. She couldn’t sleep until the cries faded away into the morning light and she began to take long naps during the day to catch up on her sleep and help make the time pass more quickly. Celine had given her full access to the lab and at first it was fun to go down to the fabled laboratories and observe all the serious and efficient workers creating the new products. But after a day or two of that she started to feel like she was just an unwelcome intruder in the way. She really hoped Celine would let her go back to Paris tonight but she had been warned that they might have to wait until the launch of the new product. That thought she could not bear and she would have to transfer some of her work out here before she went mad. She sat there watching the sun set hoping that something would happen; anything at all.
She didn’t have to wait too long. Sophie came in to announce dinner in the dining room and Ellen had to admit that she was hungry. It must be the country air that was making her appetite grow as she had accepted every rich meal that the maid brought to her. She had never eaten so well in her life and she knew she would have to start exercising or she might lose her little figure of which she was so fond. She wasn’t pretty but she was skinny and in Paris that counted for something. She followed Sophie down the noisy old stairs into the formal dining room. The long table was set lavishly with two large candlestichks on each end brigning a sumptuous light to the room. Celine was seated at the head of the table dressed in a gray dress of the simplest of cuts. Like everything she wore it was perfect for her body and accented her fine curves. Her hair was gathered low in a ponytail with loose strands floating about her head like a shimmery halo. Celine smiled as Ellen sat down at the opposite side of the table.
“Good evening E
llen. I must say I think this country air is agreeing with you. You look radiant.” Unused to compliments Ellen blushed and coughed nervously.
“Oh gosh thank you Miss D’Aumont…I mean Celine. Honestly I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to calling you that.” She looked down at her empty plate feeling incredibly plain next to the beautiful and worldly woman at the head of the table.
“Oh nonsense. It’s about time anyway. You’ve been irreplaceable to me for some time now. I hope you know how important you are to me.” Celine poured water from the long slender ewer on her right. Ellen helped herself to the water situated near her trying to imitate Celine’s polished movements. “ I hope that you don’t find this too tedious being kept out here in the country. Perhaps I can arrange for some day trips to keep you occupied. I hear there is some fabulous antiquing in town. You can take my company car and buy some new things for the office.” She said this casually and flippantly as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. She acted like they were old friends having dinner together and Ellen wished that it were all true. But instead she was here hiding out in the country from some unknown enemy. She wished she knew more about her abductors.
“Did the police ever find this Marcus?” She asked hopefully while a few drops of the delicious water spilled on her chin clumsily.
“Oh don’t worry about Marcus. He’s about to get his come uppance.” Celine lifted a gold bell from the table and rang it sharply. In a few moments Sophie came in the room with a young local girl to help her fill the table with food. There were silver platters of cold meats and cheeses and covered dishes that sent off mountains of steam as the lids were removed. The smell of chicken and fish and roast beef filled the air casuing Ellen’s mouth to water. She was really hungry now and reminded herself to wait until Celine began eating before she started in on her own dinner. Sophie and the young girl served them and Ellen was happy to see Celine accept so much food on her own plate. At least she wouldn’t look like a pig now. She glanced at Cceline at wondered how she kept her incredible figure and still eat all these rich foods. Of course she probably lived at the gym when she wasn’t at work like so many women did these days. Ellen just never felt comfortable sweating in front of strangers. She was just too shy. She waited until Celine lifted the fork to her mouth before she began to eat. The chicken was slathered in a heavy cream sauce that was too delicious for words. She broke a chunk of the baguette and took a healthy bite. For a moment she forgot all of her troubles and worries. For a little while she lost herself in the feast that lay before her and had no qualms about heaping her plate a second time as they ate in silence. She noticed suddenly that Celine had stopped eating and was staring at her intensely. She put down her silverfork and swallowed a mouthful of water. Celine was smiling at her.
“I’m sorry I’m making a beast of myself. I just can’t help it. I’ve been so hungry lately and the food here is always so amazing. I’ll probably return to Paris twenty pounds heavier than when I left.” She held back the sudden urge to belch.
“Oh Ellen don’t be silly. I would be insulted if you didn’t enjoy Sophie’s cooking. She’s absolutely the best I’ve ever met and I’ve met some of the very best!” Celine was radiant and cheerful. “That’s why I keep her out here away from the city so that someone else won’t steal her away from me. I’m glad you have a healthy apetite. It makes me happy. You are too skinny anyway and I never say that unless I mean it!” She raised her glass in a toast across the long table overflowing with plates. “You see to me a good apetite is the sign of good health and it let’s me know you are not completely mad at me for keeping you prisoner here for so long. I was afraid you might go on a hunger strike but I can see now I have nothing to worry about!” They both laughed and Ellen swam in the illusion that she was rich and fabulous like Celine and that they really were friends.
“Yes, about that Celine.” Ellen’s voice was quiet and characteristically shy again. “ I was wondering if you knew how much longer I will be here. I am thinking that there is so much work for me to catch up on. Please don’t think me ungrateful. It isn’t that at all.” She was blushing and embarrassed. She had said far too much and she watched in fear as the smile disappeared from her boss’ lips.
“Oh Ellen! Of course I could have some work for you to do.! I’m so sorry. I was thinking of this as a little vacation for you. How thoughtless of me. If it’s work you want I have plenty of things that need to be done around here. I will have it ready for you in the morning. Forgive me for being so presumptuous.” She smiled pertly not like before as if something were now bothering her.
“Oh Miss D’Aumont that would be wonderful. I mean Celine.” She giggled nervously.
“Good. But don’t get too comfortable because in a few days Marcus will be in custody and the streets of Paris will be safe again for my little sparrow.” Celine’s voice was strained and rehearsed now and Ellen trembled a little without knowing why.
“Oh how wonderful! That is the best news Celine!” They toasted again to Ellen’s safety.
“You’ll never have to feel afraid again. Now go on. Finish your meal. There’s a lavender crème Brule for desert. I’m afraid Sophie’s outdone herself tonight.” Celine continued to stare at Ellen as if she had instantly gone from old friend to lab rat but Ellen didn’t notice. She was beaming now. She now had something to do to make the days go by and she would be free to get back to her life in a few days. Now it would be easier to pretend she was on a little vacation that there was an end in sight. Things were beginning to take a turn for the better and she gulped down the remaining food knowing that is wasn’t going to be like this for too much longer. Celine had spoiled her and it might be hard to get used to her little meals eaten alone night after night in her tiny kitchen. She had gotten used to all of this splendor too quickly and too easily and she had no idea how she was going to come off of the pedestal without falling on her way down.
After dinner Celine excused herself to go check on the lab. Ellen wandered around the great room that had windows leading to the back. It was so peaceful and quiet here and one of the servants had made a beautiful fire in the stone hearth. She lay back on one of the overstuffed chairs and watched the flames dancing all about. Her slacks were very tight and she decided to unhook the top button for a little breathing room. God she was getting fat! She noticed a bulge protruding from her mid section. She swore it wasn’t there this morning. She was horrified to think that she had gotten so fat in such a little time. She noticed that her stomach was hard as well and not at all the flab she was expecting. If she didn’t know better she would have sworn she was pregnant but she knew that was impossible. She sighed and decided to think about it all later. She was too full and too tired to give the matter any further thought. She watched the dancing flames until they took on shapes and characters much as clouds do when wafting across the sky. The characters became more vivid and lifelike and she could hear voices and imageine stories about the characters until she drifted off effortlessly into sleep.
In the laboratory Celine was conferring with one of the technicians. They were looking at a computer screen with numbers and letters all in neat little rows. She also had some papers laid out on the desk in front of her and was studying them very seriously. Without looking up she asked the man in the white coat.
“What is the acceleration rate?” Her voice was low and monotone. There was no sign of the amusing and charming woman who had just dined upstairs with the mouse.
“At this point it becomes exponential! We can expect completion within a couple of days.” His French was stiff and formal.
“A few days? This is incredible! It is far better than I imagined.” There was a long pause as she shuffled through some of the papers noisily. “Can she survive such acceleration?”
“Normally I would say no, but since she has been drinking the tonic her body had begun to change. Her healing rate is almost as fast as yours now.” The scientist had come to life now forgetting his grammar. “It is go
ing to be very unpleasant but I am fairly certain she will survive.”
“How interesting. I never expected this. And both samples are still viable?” She turned to the man and looked at him for the first time. He was short with graying temples. He reminded her of the invaders of so long ago. It made sense as it turned out he was from Rome.
“Alive and kicking both of them. Well, they should be kicking by tomorrow.” He smiled at her. She threw back her head and laughed with him. She punched a few keys on the computer and watched as a simulation of cellular growth begin to enlarge and take shape. In a moment it became very much like a fetus and a few moments more it took on the look of a child but it was no ordinary child at all. The hands looked more like paws with distinct claws projecting out and the face was long and lean much like that of a panther and at the rear unmistakably was a little tail.
Immortal Beauty (The Immortals) Page 26