Chapter twenty two

Intermission

Sighing in frustration at the memory, she made her way to Kyle's room, laundry basked in hand. Even if they'd prepared a proper room for him when he came home, Kyle had retreated to the attic like some sort of hermit. She couldn't even pretend to understand her oldest son, and it only increased the guilt she already felt over abandoning him with her twin brother.

"No, we're not thinking about that, are we?" she said joyfully to herself. Ugh, she needed therapy.

Kyle's room was clean. Of course it was. She'd cleaned it herself at least 3 times over the last couple of weeks, and since he wasn't there to make a mess... Maxi sighed and looked in the mirror perched on the wall over Kyle's desk. She dropped the laundry basket and arranged the few stray papers on his desk. They were maps, a few mathematical calculations and some codes, obviously for college.

Between college and the academy, Kyle was rarely home, and when he was, he retreated to his room. Maxi had tried to give him his space, but she sometimes wished he'd just open up to her and tell her everything about his life.

She opened the drawer of the desk to stack the papers away. It was filled with sheet music and song lyrics. Yes, she knew absolutely nothing about her son. She stuffed the papers in, closed the drawer and left the room, her eyes tearing up.

"Freider!" she called, stomping down the stairs. She needed a distraction. Any distraction. Anything to keep her from thinking about her kids being away.

"In the kitchen," Freider called back.

Great, he was trying to cook again. Maxi appreciated the effort, but her husband was terrible. At least she'd have what to do: clean the house of smoke.

As she reached the landing, the doorbell rang. Maxi dropped the basket and headed for it. Freider came out of the kitchen wearing an apron and wiping his hands on a towel.

"Expecting anyone?" she asked.

Freider shook his head and stayed in the doorway. Maxi opened the door and came to face with an older man with an impressive white moustache, wearing glasses, brown trousers, white shirt and a checkered bowtie.

"Um, hello," Maxi said.

"Good day to you, Mrs. Grant, I presume," the man said airily. "I am Professor Palmer. We are neighbors of sorts. My daughters and I reside on the other side of the park. I am here to discuss your sons."

"How do you know our sons?" Freider asked coming up from behind and glowering at the professor.

"My daughters and I joined them on their little expedition."

Alarm bells started ringing inside Maxi's head. "Wait, if you're here, where are they?"

"May I come in? We have much to discuss." The man barged in without waiting for an answer.

Leaving Freider in the doorway, Maxi rushed back to the living room. The professor had made himself comfortable on the cream sofa and looked around as if assessing if this house was good enough for him.

Maxi opened her mouth to asked where her children were, but was interrupted by Freider.

"Wha­—Herrison? Wow, I haven't seen you in years."

"No time for pleasantries, Freider." Her husband's best friend limped his way into their living room, aided by a sturdy walking stick. "Hello, Maxi."

She raised her hand in acknowledgement, taking in Herrison's shabby appearance, the flinch at every step. "What happened to you?"

"We'll get to that in a minute." Herrison waved her away.

Maxi looked toward the door, waiting for Freider to get his butt in there and join the conversation that would follow. He finally showed up, his face screwed up in confusion, joined by a tall, thin woman with brown hair, wearing a tailored brown pant suit.

"Doctor Brown?" Maxi asked, surprised to see her children's neonatologist. This was getting freaky. Why were all these people in her house? At the same time. "What's going on here?" This could only mean bad news. The worst kind.

"This is so not how I pictured this conversation," Herrison mumbled and dropped clumsily into an armchair. "This is going to take a while."

"Is this about our children?" Maxi insisted.

Doctor Brown nodded and Herrison heaved a deep sigh and answered, "Yes, it's going to be a long talk. You should go make yourself some tea."

Maxi swelled with indignation. "You people come barging into my house, know something about my kids you're not telling me and you want me to go make tea?"

Freider put his hands on her shoulders. "Honey, calm down."

"Take your hands off me, Freider! I want answers and I want them now!" she positively shrieked. This was not proper conduct for a lady, but she didn't care. The worry was driving her insane.

"Maxi, I'm not ordering you around," Herrison's voice was soothing, as though he were talking to a child. "But I think you should sit down. We have a lot to talk about and I don't have that much time."

"Don't patronize me, Herrison James," Maxi said between her teeth.

Herrison cowered. Maxi threw him one more murderous glance then sat down on one of the couches. Freider sat next to her, his lips pursed and his brow furrowed.

"Well then," Herrison stretched his legs, using his hands to position them properly. "I think doctor Brown should go first."

Maxi frowned. Herrison acted as if he already knew what the doctor wanted to say, but she was too curious about it to pick a fight with him now.

The woman cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I come with worrying news."

Why was Maxi not surprised? Except, the doctor hadn't seen her children in years. Would could be so worrying now? "Go on."

"Tyler Mason has unfortunately passed away. Which leaves your son the only survivor of our drug trial."

Complete and utter silence filled the room.

"Who exactly is Tyler Manson?" Maxi asked. She caught Freider flinching next to her and as she turned to him, the paleness of his face shocked her. "Freider, what's going on? What son? What drug trial?"

Doctor Brown stared at her, confused. "Your son, Kyle, received an experimental treatment at birth, to keep him alive. Your husband signed the consent form."

Maxi jumped off the couch, her pulse thundering in her temple. "How could you approve something like that without consulting me first?"

"You should have told me. She just said he's the last survivor. Which means everyone else is dead!"

"Kyle's completely normal." Freider huffed and folded his arms across his chest.

"Is he?" Doctor Brown seemed intrigued. "This is most odd. You see, this medicine, given to infants, produces a mutation. We haven't understood its effects fully yet, but we believe it could lead to unusual physical capabilities and, unfortunately, permanent psychological trauma." She bit her lip. "The other children we've used this drug on did not cope well with it."

"They haven't, have they? Seeing as they're all dead!" Maxi shrieked.

"It's not just that. Most of them haven't been killed by the drug itself. They... put an end to their lives. Tyler was in a mental health institution when he..." Her voice broke.

"Before you lose your head," Freider said. "There's nothing wrong with Kyle. So all's well that ends well."

Herrison scratched his head. "Well...he did sort of brake through a wall."

"He needed our attention," Maxi whimpered. "And you sent him away. He grew up alone..." she let out a cry of range and lunged at Freider. He grabbed her and forced her into a tight hug.

"Honey, I know this looks bad, but think about it. These other kids have been struggling with depression for years before dying. Kyle is fine. Nothing bad is going to happen to him."

"How can you know that?" Maxi sobbed into his shoulder.

"Look, if it makes you feel better, when he gets home, we'll take him to a therapist."

She nodded and wiped her eyes. As much as she hated it, there was nothing she could do about it now, and breaking down in front of all these people wasn't the answer. Freider lying to her hurt, but he was right. Kyle had been born with health issues that could've led to his death, so maybe what her husband did had been the right thing after all, all risks considered.

"I'm sorry to cut this short, but let's get on with it. Why are you here, Professor?" Herrison asked.

"Oh, you know very well why I'm here." The professor turned to Freider, a look of supreme displeasure on his face. "I joined your sons on their expedition. I can read Mayan much better than your son."

Maxi threw Freider a questioning glance, but he seemed just as ignorant to the fact that any of their sons could read Mayan as she was.

"My issue is that your two sons have infatuated my daughters." The professor straightened his glasses. "I do not agree with such nonsense. They are very young, especially my little Christine—"

"Wait a minute!" Freider seemed about to laugh. "You're telling me that Jerry and Kyle hooked up with your daughters?"

Maxi raised her eyebrows. She was thinking more along the lines of Sam and Kyle.

"No. I mean Sam and Jerry." The professor raised his nose in the air. "And I do not appreciate the term 'hooked up'. It implies nasty actions in which I hope my daughters do not partake."

"Nasty actions?" Maxi stomped her foot. "They're teenagers and unless your daughters are twelve, I see nothing wrong with them having boyfriends. Just like I don't see anything wrong with my boys finally getting girlfriends." She looked at Freider as she said this.

"I agree with the man, honey. This is not the time for them to get girlfriends. They have so much to study."

"There's never a good time with you Freider. Leave them alone for God's sake! They're grown up enough to handle themselves."

"My thoughts exactly, Maxi," Herrison interjected.

"You shut up, Herrison. I'll get to you in a minute." As she spat this in Herrison's direction, something horrible came to mind. Herrison and Professor Palmer knew each other, obviously. Professor Palmer was with them and apparently so was Herrison. That slightly familiar voice on the phone, Herrison, Harris... "Wait, are you--?"

"I want your sons away from my daughters," the professor said haughtily.

"As much as I'm against the whole thing myself, what makes your daughters so special?" Freider snapped.

"Enough!" Maxi shrieked and the whole room fell quiet. "This is not helping. Sam and Jerry have girlfriends. Big deal! Get used to it, both of you." She turned to Herrison. "You're Professor Harris, aren't you?"

Herrison swallowed heavily and it was all the confirmation Maxi needed. "Where are my children? What have you done?"

"I think we should first clarify where how many of your children are," Herrison mumbled.

Maxi narrowed her eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Herrison sighed and stood on shaky legs. "I think it's time for the professor and doctor to leave."

The professor stood, gawking at Herrison. "Tom and Jimmy?"

Herrison nodded and motioned that he should join him towards the door. Maxi watched stupefied as Herrison kicked her guests out of her house, but she could no longer move. Tom and Jimmy. This couldn't be happening.

Herrison limped back inside the room and dropped on one of the couches, laying his walking stick by his side. A thin sheet of sweat had appeared on his forehead. "This is going to be very tough to hear."

"Who are Tom and Jimmy?" Freider snapped, but form his tone, Maxi could tell that he felt the same dread she did.

She would've normally flown off the handle at this, but not this time. Not when her worst fears had just come true. "I had twins, didn't I?"

She'd been so young and stupid, believing that modern technology was what hurt Kyle in the first place, so she'd refused any echography during her next two pregnancies. Her doctor had mentioned two heartbeats, twice, and she'd been sure she would have twins, both times.

But then, when she gave birth, there had only been one child. It hadn't mattered. Jerry and Sam were perfect. Young, naïve, weak, passing out because of labor pains every time. She'd stupidly believe her doctor when he said, in a trembling voice, that he'd been wrong, that she didn't really have twins.

"Who? Who did this?" Maxi felt as if she was smothering. She knew the answer, but didn't want it to be true.

"Snitch Gravel, who else," Herrison said roughly.

Maxi lay in Freider's arms, sobbing. She couldn't believe this was happening. How could he stoop that low? She thought she knew him. Freider rubbed her arm, trying to calm her down. She appreciated the warmth of his body and the certainty that she wasn't alone. He was just as affected by this and they would get through this together. Just like they have for twenty-one years.

"I know it's tough, you two, but you have to be strong."

"Please tell us what's going on," Maxi said, her voice drowned in tears. She'd go insane if she didn't understand what was happening.

"You've put a few pieces together already, I presume." Herrison dropped on the couch. "Sam and Jerry have twin brothers. As the professor said, they're called Tom and Jimmy. Your kids already know about their existence and I suspect they also know they're brothers."

"How did they find out?" Freider asked, his voice blank.

"This study camp I took them on..." Herrison hesitated. "Snitch Gravel found out and followed us. I know he hasn't showed his face in a while. But now... he's going for your kids."

Maxi put her face in her hands and let the tears and sobs pour out. Freider squeezed her shoulders. It hurt.

"Jimmy and Tom came along for the expedition. I had an accident and had to return." Herrison rubbed his legs. "They're still there."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Freider stood. "Let's go get them before Snitch Gravel finishes them off."

"It's not that easy. They have a better chance of coming out themselves than we have of finding them. They've managed to survive this long. Half of the team is pulling back and they reported that your kids are fine."

"I'm not just going to stand by and let Snitch Gravel have his way." Freider clenched his fists. "I'll find him and show him what for. It wouldn't be the first time, either."

Herrison shook his head. "He's not the kid you used to know. You don't know what he's become. No one can reach him, his resources are limitless and everything that stands in his way is blown aside. I know you haven't heard of him in years, but he's done nothing but become more powerful."

"So you're saying there's nothing we can do while he's hunting our children down?" Maxi asked. The shock of the situation had numbed her. She knew she should ask tons of questions, blame Herrison for this reckless study camp, demand to know his part in this, but her mind was blank. The existence of her two children and the answer to Kyle's depression had made everything else unimportant.

"They'll make it. I've seen them at it and they'll get out of there alive and well. Don't worry about it." Herrison stood and limped towards the door. "We should receive news from them in a couple of days. If we don't, I'm going down there personally."

"Where do you think you're going?" Freider asked outraged. "You have some explaining to do!"

Herrison smiled bitterly. "Freider, I barged into your house, gave you the worst news you'd ever received and you didn't bother to ask how I knew all this. Who gave me the info is also calling me back. I won't tell you more." And he disappeared out the door. 

Author's note: I didn't split this chapter, since it's pretty short. A lot of questions are answered, so... what do you think?

This chapter is dedicated to lamer7 for the support and of course, because Maxi is half French ;)

Please don't forget to vote or comment or both if you enjoy the story :)