She sat on a lavishing throne in leather pants, a white lacy tank top, with white pump heels. Her hair was a snow-white color while her crystal blue eyes remained intact. Her legs were crossed on top of the armrest, as she lays down on the seat, her head upside down on the other armrest, a simple gun twirling in her hands.

Aaron stood in front of her with a white lab coat on top of his black suit, his arms entwined together, as he stared down at the floor in a serious demeanor. He rubbed his chin as he tried to process what she had just told him. "He's retaining those memories? Fascinating."

Nikki glares at the enchanted scientist, who was finding this whole thing intriguing while she was suffering the consequences they had brought. "It isn't fascinating," she says and sits up, uncrossing her legs, to stare directly at him.

Aaron seems to shrink a little as he tries to avoid her harsh stare. "No, I didn't mean it-" his words are lost as she continues speaking.

"Do you know how hard it is, making him believe me when all he seems to want to do is pull away from me? I even told him he is showing signs of withdrawal, in hopes that delays his thought process. Especially since I know he won't tell anyone that, he'd be too embarrassed."

"How- how do you know he's pulling away from you?" Aaron lifts his glasses, "He seems to trust you with all his life, anyone can see that."

"No. This time it's different. A few days ago I tried placing my hand on his and he winced, he was afraid- of me. If it wasn't for Quin's amazing technology skills in creating that conversation, I would have lost him already." She sighs, "even when I told him today I was leaving, he just nodded and kissed my cheek goodbye."

"Are you sure this just isn't the Schmitty that was always supposed to be? I mean- it's two different personalities. One was wild and reckless and he is calm and timid."

"I've known him for a long time Aaron, he is calm and timid but also devoted and loyal. I know what he thinks and how his mind works, just like for everyone. He seems to not completely trust me, even though he wants to, but at night he tends to mumble things." She sits up straight and speaks, "his trying hard to believe me but it seems his unconscious conscious mind is against it."

"If that's possible then it's just a matter of time before his brain starts noticing that the images aren't fake but real."

"How did this happen?" Nikki says as she lays down again and adds in a whisper, "how Aaron?"

"Well- it has been 3 years. The effects are wearing down day by day as his subconsciousness fights with him to be let free. The drugs are counteractive against his subconsciousness but I'm afraid they won't last long. I just need a few days maybe to re-write the mechanics of the drug so they won't kill him but they will last a while longer."

"I want a permanent solution, Aaron," Nikki demands.

"That's what I'm trying to do, but, I don't think there is a permanent solution. The dosage of the last pills was pretty strong already. If I make them stronger, he'll be dead in minutes. So I need to make some strong enough to keep suppressing his subconscious, but not kill him. Having said that- it will also last only a few more days. Ultimately becoming useless."

"So, you're telling me no matter what I do, one way or another- he'll eventually be gone- just like that," she snaps her fingers. "I don't like those odds at all."

"I'm sorry Nikki. I know how much you care for him," Aaron starts not able to look up from the floor.

"Oh Aaron, I'm not worried one bit. I know you're going to try your very best to fix this and bring me back my Schmitty or you know what tends to happen when I get angry," she says and gets up. Aaron flinches a little as he sees Nikki raise her gun. She grins at him, "calm down. Just putting the safety on."

She walks towards him and fixes his tie, "can't risk losing my genius scientist either," she pats his cheek. She looks into his eyes and notices him shifting his gaze toward the familiar gun. "You're thinking about Ethan, aren't you?"

Aaron bites his bottom lip, "I was just wondering if I would meet the same faith as him."

"You know why he had to go, don't you?" Aaron stays silent. "Maybe you don't know the full story. Ethan wasn't a good reckless; wanted to take Schmitty's place next to me, even if it meant killing Schmitty himself."

Aaron nods his head and whispers, "I know."

"Then you have nothing to fear," she assures him and starts walking out. "You said there wasn't much time to waste, so how long until it's ready?" she asks at the door.

"I'll have it as soon as you're back," he promises.

"Wonderful. Please take care of him while I'm gone," she says with a wink and exits. Aaron gulps as he breathes out the breath he was holding. His gaze shifts to the black gun lying motionless on the throne where she sat just moments ago and scurries off to do what he was told to do.

"Another glass Mrs. Hawthorn?" the flight attendant asks as he holds up a bottle of scotch, "it's 50 years old."

Nikki looks at the label and nods her head, "sure. Pour me a glass," she smiles. He does as told and waits as she takes a sip. "It's smooth. Lovely."

"If you need more, I will be right here."

"Wait-" Nikki stops him from leaving. "Won't you keep me company?" she flutters her eyelashes.

"It's your private jet ma'am. I'd love nothing more than to make you happy," he says and takes a seat on the seats opposite of her.

Nikki winks at him, "how lovely." She points at the bottle he set on the table, "have a taste."

His eyes widened in shock, "Oh- I shouldn't do that."

"Why not?" she says as she tilts her head to the side.

"I'm on the clock, it would be unprofessional."

"I'm the one who signs your check. Trust me, it won't be a problem." She raises her hands, "unless you don't want any then I won't force you."

His eyes widened more in panic as he grabbed the bottle she was moving away, "no. I'd love some. Never had such expensive scotch before."

"Grab a cup with ice and I'll pour you some," Nikki says as she lifts the bottle.

"I should pour it," he tries to protest.

Nikki rolls her eyes, "would you stop acting like I'm high and mighty?"

"I'm sorry."

Nikki looks at him and fills his glass, waiting for him to take a sip. He nods his head in appreciation at the scotch and Nikki smiles at him. "You know, I wasn't always rich but things along the way changed. Now I look at a scotch bottle and laugh at my reflection." She lifts it and sees herself, her piercing blue eyes staring back at her, mocking her. "My dad used to love to drink scotch."

"What happened to him?"

"He died," she says casually. "It's funny now because every time I see such a beautiful scotch like this, I'm reminded of him. He only drank the cheap ones but he drank so many that now all I can do is laugh as I drink one, cuz he will never get to hold another one in his hands, let alone one like this." She holds the bottle in the air like a triumph. "Oh sweet memories," she says and smiles, closing her eyes. "Let me know when we've arrived, okay?"

"Yes ma'am," the guy responded. She can feel as a brush of air passes by her, signaling his departure.

"Sweet memories indeed," she whispers.

She sat on the brown worn-out couch, her knees tucked under her, as her used up white dress now gray dress covered them. Her blue eyes looked around frantically over their living room space, the sun lighting the whole living room, thinking about the two bodies that lay motionless inside the house. One was in the master bedroom and one was in the kitchen holding a bottle of cheap scotch. She kept running her hands up and down her arms throughout her whole body, easing the goosebumps. Her 17-year-old brother was long gone, leaving alone a helpless 13-year-old girl.

"Well- I guess I'm not that helpless after all," she says to herself. She was covered in blood from head to toe, a wide smile plastered on her face. The bloody knife laid on their concrete floor, the only thing that was not covered in blood was her palm but her fingers were outlined by the red substance. "Now, I have to clean up," she says and walks toward the bathroom.

Cleaning was harder than she had thought. Although she had gone over the moment of killing them numerous times and how she would make sure she didn't get caught, actually going through with it was harder.

She undresses and dumps each clothing piece into a pile on the floor and hops into the cold shower. The water hit her head instantly, making her hair darken from its natural black color, and cling to her body. The blood mixes with the water as it peels it off her skin as if she was a snake shedding into a new skin. She clutches herself, trying to keep warm under the cold water nozzle. Her family wasn't rich, they couldn't even afford hot water, so she always had to shower in cold water. How she despised the cold water. "But things are going to change," she assures herself as she stands still under the water, letting her body adjust to the coldness.

After her body finally adjusts to the cold water, she starts washing the rest of her body. Making sure to wash away all the blood from her body and hair. She grabs her loofah and rubs the soap on it, creating a white foamy lather. She runs the loofah over her stomach, revealing bruises of all different colors and sizes, in all different places. She did this for every piece of her body, making sure she was as clean as humanly possible. The white foam turns red from all the blood, causing her to rinse it repeatedly.

Once she is done with her shower, she grabs the towel on the door and dries it off. She walks inside her shared room and picks out the prettiest dress she owned. The one her mother allowed her to wear when they went out, not for any other occasion. "It's a day to celebrate after all", she says to no one in particular. She takes out the purple dress and puts it on along with black tights. Since it was her mother's, it still fits her a little big. She hugs it tightly and whispers into the open space, "Oh mother, you were such a cruel woman-" she starts in a sweet voice "and I won't miss you one bit." She slides on her golden platform heels and a black cardigan, finishing her outfit.

She goes to the bathroom and retrieves her bloody clothes, wrapping them in a bag along with the towel she used. She walks to the local dumpster outside; throwing the bag inside, then dumping a tank of gasoline she had taken from a guy using it for his car inside it, she lights a match and throws it inside. The dumpster lit up in a blaze of light. At this, her lips form into a grin. She walks back inside and looks for the last thing missing that could tie her to this murder, the knife. She locates the knife and cleans it with a rag, placing it back inside the utensils cabinet. She washes the rag and hangs it back on the counter.

She turns around and sees the limb pale body of her father crouched over the clear glass table. He was a middle-aged man with falling brown hair. His brown eyes were open, staring emptily at her; blood covering his gray shirt from behind, blood dripping on his black sweats and brown shoes. Her dark blue eyes darted to the bottle of scotch in his hands, even now he kept it clutched in his hand. She walked up to it and un-clutches it from his hold.

"I wonder why this was so important to him," she says as she down the drink. "Ahhh," she yells as the alcohol runs down her throat, burning it in the process. She holds the bottle away from her, "that burns, it's bitter but kind of nice." She uses the towel and wipes away her fingerprints as she puts it back in his grasp.

Nikki runs to the payphone near her house and dials 911. "911, what is your emergency," the operator's voice comes through.

Nikki uses her out of breath voice to her advantage, "I need help. My parents- they're dead." She starts crying, making her voice sound muffled, "My brother-" hiccup, "he did it."

"Okay- I need you to calm down for me."

"Please- help me," Nikki says in a quiet voice.

"Are you safe?"

"Yes, I'm on a payphone. Away from my house."

"What's your name sweety?"

"Nikki Mendez. I'm really scared," she tells the lady.

"You will be okay. I just need you to tell me, do you know what the address is?"

"Yes, it's 1753 Love Street."

"Okay. A dispatch has been sent. Stay on the phone with me, okay sweetie? How old are you?"

"I'm 13 years old." There is a moment of silence before Nikki yells, "Oh my gosh he's back. Sam, please don't hurt me. I'm so sorry. Ahh-" she yells and hangs up the phone before leisurely walking back inside the house.

After 5 minutes, she finally hears the sirens blare outside. "Finally," she sighs as she quickly goes near the wall and rolls her eyes. "Okay, Nikki, just like we practice," she says before slamming her head on the wall. She lays down on the floor, her legs twisted to her side, as she puts a hand up to her head, and tears are rolling down her eyes. The door is kicked open and in comes a policeman wearing their navy blue outfits, looking around the tiny household.

"Please help me," she sobs as she holds her arm out for one of the policemen to take. One of the policemen takes her hands and helps her up, wrapping a blanket around her as he guides her toward the paramedics.

"How are you feeling?" one of them asks as they shine a bright light in her eyes.

"I'm- I'm," Nikki starts uncontrollably crying again.

"Well, we are going to stitch up your wound and wrap a gauge around it so it will heal properly," the one in charge says and starts doing just that.

Inside the house, the policemen walk into the bedroom first and cringe at the sight. In the center of the bed, lying front up was a middle-aged woman, with a giant slice on her stomach, deep cuts around her chest. "Seems like overkill," one of the policemen states, "the kid must have had a lot of anger toward his parents."

They look around the place until they reach the kitchen and shake their heads, looking at the middle-aged guy. "The guy is in the same condition as the woman in the bedroom. Can you believe that girl saw this?"

"Can you believe she might have gone through this as well?" the other one responds.

"Yeah- I wonder what happened."

"The only thing we need to worry about is getting the person responsible for this."

"And we will," with that they exit the place and head over to Nikki. "For now- we have to interview the girl and find out everything she knows."

They approach a crying Nikki and lower themselves to reach her level.

"What am I going to do?" she says as she sobs into her hands, a small smile hiding behind them.

"We're sorry for what you're going through but we are doing to have to question you."

"Now?" Nikki asks, trying to wipe away her fake tears.

"For now, get yourself together and when you're ready we would like your statement. Do you have any place to go?"

"No," Nikki responds.

"Well, you can stay at the police station for a while. We can find a solution for you after that."

"Okay, thank you, Officers." One of them places a hand on the small of Nikki's back as he guides her to the police car.

"Mrs. Hawthorn, we're here."

Nikki opens her eyes and looks out of the tiny window into an empty open space. She smiles at the guy and grabs her bag as she walks toward the small purple car, waiting for her. She waves at the pilot and flight attendant as she drives away toward the only place near here.

The jail was a big building, covered in metal bars with barbed wire all around. There was an open space, with basketball courts, benches, and small patches of grass. She grabs the piece of cake, the driver had left on the seat and walks toward the small brick house with an officer.

"Hello," Nikki says with a smile. The guy looks up at her in an unbothered manner.

"How can I help you?"

"I came for a visit."

"Who?"

"Samuel Mendez," she flutters her eyes.

The guy points at the cake and asks blankly, "What's in the cake?"

"Flour? Eggs? Water," Nikki responds as if it's the most obvious question.

The guy looks at her, unimpressed. "There better not be anything that you can slip to him."

"There isn't. It's just a birthday cake."

"Yeah, well the scanner will see about that," he says and presses the button. The fences vibrate and open.

"Thank you," Nikki says in a peppy tone and enters the building. She walks down the long corridors and fills out all the papers she needs to get through. They scan her cake and make her walk through a metal detector before giving her the okay.

As Nikki waits at the table, she opens the cake and takes it out of the box, placing it on the table. It was a square cake with black frosting covering every other space in a small square of its own, resembling a chessboard. On top were white chocolate and black chocolate pieces. She hears the door unlock and watches as a medium built guy with shaggy light brown hair covering his light blue eyes shuffled behind a guard. He had on an orange jumpsuit, metal handcuffs on his wrist, and looked older than the last time she had seen him.

Nikki stands up, her inner turmoil of joy and anger fighting against each other, but she manages to keep both at bay. "Hello brother," she says with a beaming smile, tilted head, and a wave at her hand to Samuel.

"Nicolett?" Sam asks from the distance as he sees his younger sister. Tears swell up in his eyes as he sees her younger self, asking for him to read her a bedtime story when she couldn't sleep. How she needed him to be strong, but he had failed her. He blinks back the tears and notices the cake, immediately regretting his sadness. She had put him here with promises of ending his life one day. The only reason he was still alive, was because she wanted him alive, and he hated that.

"Is she your sister?" the guard beside Sam asks.

"Mmhh-" Sam mumbles.

"She looks a lot like you," the guard whispers to him as he guides him towards the table where she sat with her legs crossed. "A little happy to see you, aren't you the guy who killed her parents?"

Sam shoots him a blank look before he clears his throat and responds, "We have a complicated relationship."

"You mean besides the fact that you killed your parent which are also her parents, and how she hasn't come to visit you in what's it been like-"

"9 years," Sam responds.

"9 years, damn- and now she turns up looking like a light-up Christmas tree. Yup- I guess that does sound like a complicated relationship," the officer says as they reach the table and he uncuffs Sam. The guard looks at the cake, "I didn't know it was your birthday."

"It's not," Samm responds as he rubs his wrist and stares at the unfamiliar face in front of him, "you look well Nicolett," he speaks.

Nikki gives him a pout, "Samuel- you look well too- and- I'm going by Nikki now."

"Nikki? Why," Sam asks, a bit suspicious of his sister.

Nikki smiles at him. "I just wanted to shorten it. We all can't relive our past like you, Samuel."

"My past is your past Nicolett," he tells her, wanting to remind her of the fact that she was never going to forget that day as he will either.

Nikki shoots him a death glare, "be nice to me Sammy. I got you into this nice jail and I'm your only hope of getting out of here one day."

Sam is taken aback by her comment and asks, "you're planning on getting me out?"

"In a coffin, yes," Nikki whispers to him with a smile and a bat of her eyelashes. There is a pause before she speaks again, "do you like the cake I brought? I had it especially made just for you."

"Poison?" he asks.

Nikki laughs, "I was talking about the design. I figured we could play like old times. Celebrate your birthday."

"It's not my birthday and I definitely don't want to play your stupid game," he says as he pushes the cake away from her.

Nikki gives him a serious look, "but I want to play as we chat. Don't make me mad- I already warned you." Nikki scoots the cake back into the center and watches Sam with a raised eyebrow.

Sam hesitates for a few seconds before he picks up a white chocolate pawn, rolling it on his fingers, managing to get his fingers smudged with the color. He sighs, "If it will get you to leave faster, I'll play."

Nikki claps her hands, "wonderful. I knew you'd change your mind."

Schmitty moves his pawn up 1 space while Nikki does 2. They are silent as they move pieces, carefully trying to outmaneuver one another. "So- did you come all this way to tell me you were going to kill me?" Sam breaks the silence.

"Oh Sammy- you have always just focused on the negative, shame on you," Nikki says as she waves her finger at him in a tsk manner. "I actually came to say goodbye to you, not hurt you," Nikki tells him looking up from moving a piece. "In fact, not too long ago I did you a favor."

Sam scrunches up his face in confusion, "A favor? I didn't ask you for a favor."

"And I delivered anyway," Nikki says with a shrug and smile.

Sam gulps but is unable to bring himself to ask what she had done so he asks a simple question instead. "You're leaving? How long have you been back for?"

"I've been back for, shall we say 5 years. I tend to be a little flimsy and go to other places before coming back." Nikki points at the pieces in front of him, "you go first," she tells him with a small smile.

Sam nods his head, "Are you really leaving without finishing me off? You've had every opportunity. I'm just a sitting duck here, waiting to be roasted."

Nikki laughs, "oh brother- if I do that, then I'd have no reason to come back as much. Then I won't get to play cat and mouse with my dear friend, Satormy."

"Satormy? The name sounds familiar."

"I would hope so. He's the one that found and brought you in. Hardly think you'd forget that day."

Sam glares at her before responding, "he was a good cop. Pity he was fooled by a psychopath like you."

"Watch it-" she warns.

"Or what- you're going to kill me? Have a knife under this cake you're going to use?" He sticks his neck out, "be my guest."

Nikki clenches her jaw before smiling at the guard who seemed to look over at them in curiosity. "I think you can do that on your own," she says and looks at his wrist then back at him. "You don't think I've kept tabs on you but I have. I know all about your bunkmates. All of them. I know what you eat and don't eat. All the people who beat you up when the guards aren't looking and all the ones you beat up. You think you're so holy but you're not, so get over yourself."

"How many?" he asks with crossed arms, not afraid to ask anymore because she was right. He wasn't a good person but he knew he was better than her if she even was human.

"How many what?"

"How many people have died because of my stupid stupid mistake."

"Far too many, brother."

Sam chokes up a bit, "I've counted at least 7 on the news. All of them were found with a random chess piece. I can only assume your obsession transferred over."

"You always did want to be a detective; help people, save them." She scoots up and looks at him with sad eyes, "Well Sammy, why didn't you save me or them? Why didn't you stop me?"

Sam is taken aback by her words and stutters, "I- I- Nicolett- I'm so sorry." Tears start falling down his eyes as he tells her, "Back then I was a kid myself and I couldn't help us. I should have been able to stop them from hitting you at least, but I couldn't even do that. I know why you hate me so much, If I had been a better big brother I could have stopped you or at least protected you."

Nikki scoffs, "and here I thought you couldn't get any more pathetic, but turns out I was wrong. To top it off, checkmate," she says and moves her last piece. Sam looks down at the cake, wiping away his tears. On the game, clear as day, his kind was trapped with no way out.

"You won," is all he can say.

"I did that for the both of us, you know?" she tells him in anger. Sam looks up at her and watches his sister unravel a bit, "I did that so we could run away and start a new life together, but you ran away from me. You were scared- of me- but I couldn't kill you too. I didn't even know where you were, so I did the next best thing and let you take the fault. I knew you would accept it, thinking it would save me somehow but it didn't." She stands up, "because of you- this is what I am. I took pity on you but it was weak of me and next time- you won't be so lucky."

"No Nicolett-" Sam tries to reason with her.

"Don't!- call me that," she tells him. Her eyes flash with anger before she looks down at the game she had just won. She begins to laugh and takes a seat. Clapping her hands she says, "how about we eat some cake." She signals at the guard for 2 spoons and he obliges. "It's your favorite. Strawberry flavor," she says with a wide grin. As soon as Sam gets the spoon he dips it in the cake and brings it to his mouth. He takes a huge bite of it as he watches Nikki's reaction.

Nikki squirms with laughter, "how did you know I was bluffing? That there weren't any real strawberries in there."

"I was hoping there was, especially since I don't carry any epinephrine on me." He tilts his head to the side, keeping eye contact with her. He laughs, "I just realized something. You can't kill me. As much as you say you want to, you can't." Nikki bites her bottom lip as she glares at him. "I'm right, aren't I? If you could, I would already be dead but you don't have the power to get me out. Ironic isn't it. You put me in here for life but now you have no way of getting what you want because as long as I'm here, I'm safe from you."

"Don't count yourself so lucky Sam, there's always more jails out there," she tells him as she gets up, annoyed with him.

"There are, but you can't send me back because you need me right here and you'll be leaving soon. There isn't enough time for you to get those transfer paperwork, is there?"

Nikki starts walking away, unclenching and clenching her hand.

"See you in 9 years Nicolett," he yells behind her. She may have won their game, but he was able to get under her skin and that was better.

Sam might have been able to evade her, but that only meant someone else wouldn't be so lucky. 

>>>>> 

This one was very information packed. We had Nikki's past which if my mind or imagination, creative juices? helps me with, will be brought up in a future story. I have plans for this series. I do, pity I lack creativity and skills to write. 

The street name called Love should clue you in on how I lack that, but does it? It could also be a small clue of sorts or an explanation to something. 

I tried doing a whole reveal, let me know how horrible it was. 

Thanks again for reading; please vote, comment, share.