Episode 59: personaL

“Shouldn’t we stay in town? Mister Cooper’s car sounds terrible.”

“Be silent, Veronica Redmane.” Irene Amador, strangely referring to herself as Zera now, drove along South Carolina’s coastal highway, then veering toward the inland, “I am taking steps toward my future.”

“By stranding us way out in the country? It’s a long walk back and I don’t think the Rez Rider makes a return trip until this afternoon. Please don’t make me call Will to come get us, he might yell at me. Even worse, my dad.”

“William is the alpha. You will accept it should he raise his voice.”

“Did you do that toward, Esteban?” The notion made Irene take pause in expression. Almost as if she had seen a ghost cross their path. “I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have asked that.”

“No! You are correct, Veronica. For far too long I cowered to my husband and look where it got me. No longer will I be weak. As I told the woman at the diner, I need to evolve.”

“I thought it was just that makeover you asked me to help you with.”

“Did I ask? Again, weakness. No Veronica, you WILL assist me.”

“I don’t mind that. You’re just, well, scaring me.”

“Fear of the unknown should be intoxicating.” Second gear at 65 miles per hour the engine was running hot. Nearing the offshoot dirt road leading back to her now burnt to the ground home Irene lost power in the sand. Too low to the ground the sports car was not meant for sand roads. Front end uncontrollable she slid off to the edge and immediately got stuck. “That was unfortunate. We walk!” Climbing out of the car Irene left the door open and began walking toward her property.

“Wait for me!” V jumped out and joined her in a tedious walk amid thick hot sand. Traveled daily it was firm in spots until you deviated the trail left by Detroit Steel. A strange breeze sweeping over them Irene stopped dead in her trapse and looked to the field at her right. As if sensing something she tilted her head.

“What’s wrong?”

“The worthless infant was raped here.”

“Raped? Infant? Who are you talking about? Oh! Do you mean Midnight? That was here?” Veronica Redmane felt queasy suddenly, not knowing if Irene even knew of Midnight’s rape. Midnight herself had told V of that night without many details in confidence. Yet, if Irene was bringing it up she must have known.

Irene marched right out into the tall weeds as if searching for some sort of beacon. “What are you looking for?” It was as if Irene was in a trance, darting around in circles. “Irene, stop! What is wrong with you?”

“BE SILENT!”

“Nick better pay me darn good for this.”

Halting and looking at the ground Irene waved Veronica closer. “Here! This is where it happened.”

“Who, Irene?”

“My predecessor’s offspring. Yet ... I sense more than she.”

“You knew about that? Did you become psychic?”

“Psycho!” Zera grumbled and forcibly threw V off balance to land on her hands and knees. Savagely toppling over Veronica, Irene appeared to lose her mind and grabbed V by her hair then her throat. Humping her as a man might V started screaming out of fear. “Yes! Just like that. I can hear echoes. Terror!” Just as V nearly lost consciousness Irene released her grip. “Dig!”

“W-what?”

“DIG CHILD!” Eyes white as she snapped Irene further encouraged V to get her hands dirty. Clawing at the rich earth beneath her while bawling her eyes out Veronica actually unearthed something of value. Stunned at a lengthy broken silver chain necklace V abruptly stopped crying to process this discovery.

“Irene?”

“Zera!”

“Zera?” Irene calmed herself and pulled V upright by her hair and curled her arms around her as if a comfort. “I found a heart necklace.”

“Of course, you did Child. We were called here. This is where Midnight Amador was raped at 16 years of age.”

“WHAT? Midnight was raped?” Better to play dumb just in case.

“She has not told you. Yes, of course, she did. Do not play me a fool Veronica Redmane.”

“You’re right, it is true. At least that’s what she told me in confidence. I was sworn to secrecy.”

“I sense this very spot. Yet, I sense more. She was not the first to reside on her knees pleading for life. Perhaps, a renewed life. Midnight Amador was spared that night. Others not so.”

“How could you possibly know this?”

“Zera knows! The mirror does not lie.”

“We should call Sheriff Roster. Let him know we found ... Irene, look, there’s an engraving on the back. Burke loves Eliza.”

“Come! We have much to do first.” Zera rose to her feet and helped Veronica up. “Do not lose the necklace.”

“I won’t! This is insane.”

“Perhaps I am. Yet, I sense greatness within.” Turning away Irene Amador left the weeds and returned to the road. Veronica hurrying to catch up but leery of any side-by-side. Following ten feet behind her Zera smiled. As it should be!

In the distance on the actual property belonging to Esteban and Irene Amador sat the once beautiful boat the Siren, a painted E at the end out of honor to his wife IrenE. This was Esteban’s new home now that he had torched his house and nearly killed his wife in the process. At work, it was left to the scavengers but luckily Este had sense enough to hide what few provisions and possessions he had within the shell. Visitors unknown to Este were luckily not scavenging this day.

“You’re a good soul, Jasmine.”

Crimson Merrick helped haul bags of groceries and beer from the stolen Jaguar that was now all hers thanks to Shadowbitch removing all possible ways of tracking it. Serial numbers, VIN, guidance GPS, the car was clean outside of a special code that Shadowbitch aka Dyson implemented to keep track of Jasmine Riviera, formerly the computer hacker known as Cybercock. Better safe than sorry. Atoned for stealing money from Nick Sanchez she was still a viable threat as much as an asset.

“I have my moments. That old coot didn’t deserve my ripping him off like that. Look how he lives. He’s lost everything.”

“Esteban isn’t a very good man. He nearly killed his wife Irene, thus the firepit back there.” Crimson nodded at the charred skeletal remains of a once proud shelter. Jasmine climbed the back ladder and let Crimson hand up the goods they brought. Can goods, a small grill with charcoal and starter, an ice chest with meat for a short-term solution. After a few minutes to load the boat, the girls climbed down and hugged one another. “Although, I did hear he was trying to change. He did turn in Britney Saunders mom.”

“That chunky lady whose house we picked Opal up at?”

“Yeah! I hear she won the lottery.”

“Oh, reeeeeaaally!” Jasmine’s eyes lit up.

“You are not swiping her money.”

“Spoil sport!”

“Nick gave you a job. I’m sure he can pay you well enough to try living a normal life.”

“With you?”

“Are you asking me to be your girl?”

“Should I ask your father for permission?”

“Uh! No! He’d throw you out. I need to make any future moves delicately Jasmine. Let’s just enjoy our time together and plot our course as it comes. I like you, even if you led me on in the beginning. I do like dick.”

“Hey! I’m fine if you get one of those now and then. I might join you even if I prefer your sweet ass. Compromise and keep each other clean?”

“That works. I’m up for that. I do like being with you, Ethyl Jean.” She licked the girls nose using her birth name long deleted from the annals of time.

“None of that nerdy bitch. She’s MIA! I like being Jasmine because you gave the name to me. I feel reborn.”

“As do I!”

Both girls jumped at the unexpected voice behind them. Eyes bulging, they turned to see Irene Amador standing tall, arms folded over the borrowed unbuttoned shirt she wore. Veronica pulling up the rear waved without a smile. “Hey, Crimson.”

“You know her?” Jasmine immediately grew jealous of the hot girl.

“Went to school together. Hey, Redmane! What are you and Mrs. Amador doing here?”

“This is my former self’s land.” Zera spoke! “Why do you trespass?”

“Long story!” Jasmine spoke up, palms before her in apology mode. “You’re the old coot’s wife? Crimy and I were just talking about you.”

“Yeah! I filled Jasmine in, oh, this is Jasmine Riviera. Anyway, I explained the fire and all. At least what I know.”

“If not for Nick she might not be here.” V brought up.

“Cool dude!” Jasmine gnashed her teeth. “Look! I’m just going to be honest here, Irene, was it?”

“ZERA!”

“Um!” Confused, the girls shrugged! “Okay, Zera. I stole your husband’s car recently, took his phone, left him out here I’m pretty sure wanting to kill me.”

“Of that my former self can relate. He will never reach that goal should he try again.”

“Wait! Are you saying he really did try and kill you?” Veronica grew curious. “Why didn’t you tell the Sheriff that?”

“Esteban Amador is petty. No more will I let my former cringe at his whim.” She eyed the boat and spotted the name on the side as SIRENe. For a brief moment Irene emerged seeing that added E to emphasize her identity. As if sweeping her under the rug Zera returned with a glare of hatred. “He no longer serves his purpose. Papers will be drawn up.”

“You’re divorcing Esteban?” V asked.

“Formal! Former! Much the same. Yes!” Looking around for something, anything that she could use to do harm Zera took a chunk of charred wood and used the black soot to erase that added E making it SIREN once more. “Let the embers of their abode darken the memory of a life of waste. There is only Zera now. I will legally be changing my name.”

“I can help with that.” Jasmine chuckled then ceased laughter at Crimson’s stare. “Or not! Wouldn’t be legal.”

“I can’t begin to understand this Mrs. Amad ... Zera.” Crimson altered her course seeing Zera sneer. “It’s your life. Esteban did a few good deeds lately in helping Sheriff Roster and Miss Saunders. Jasmine here felt like paying him back for that and for her stealing from him.”

“Do as you wish!”

“He should be getting his car back. Nick had it repaired and delivered to his job. When he gets home here at least he will have a few good meals on Jasmine and I.”

“Bought him a new cell too. Gas generator still in the Jag’s trunk so he has power. I tried to make things comfortable at least. Mister Sanchez wouldn’t allow more. I kind of work for him now.”

“I see! That is his business. I will discuss a business arrangement with him soon to secure my future.”

“I heard Rayna Waterfall might hire you to work at a new dress shop here in Caretaker.”

“Do not make me laugh. I am no seamstress. Nor will I ever seek such solace for peace.”

“Irene used to love sewing. I still have a blanket you made.”

“You would be wise to burn it. As Esteban burnt his home, my former’s flesh. MY FLESH! By all right, I should use that gas can with the generator to burn this boat and leave him to his car once again.”

“Please don’t!” Jasmine retaliated! “I know you resent him for what he did to you but ... I’m sensing some change in him too. I mean, I don’t know but I get a gut feeling.”

“Should we have bought him beer?” Crimson mumbled!

“Probably not! Let’s take it with us. We can get plastered and screw.”

“Hold up! You two are... “ V looked shocked! “Never saw that coming Merrick.”

“Me neither! Work in progress. I like this bitch though.”

“Awww!”

“We need a ride back to Caretaker.” V brought up! “Zera there got Mister Cooper’s car stuck, but I’m thinking it’s not drivable. The engine sounded horrible. Neither of us knew how to drive a stick shift.”

“Hello again Ladies!” A buzzing noise above them heard the four women looked to the blue sky.

“It’s that drone from Britney’s house.” Crimson pointed out. The aviation device lowering, a camera moved beneath it to face them. Zera looked ready to grab her burnt stick to swing at it.

“Sup, Zera?” They heard the voice of Opal Savage.

“The woman at the diner.” She lowered her burnt bat. “My equal!”

“Yeah, we’ll discuss that more here soon. I need to ask, how are you feeling? You drank a whole vial of T16R355. That’s Tigress! The drug stimulates the human hormone and drives them into a sexual frenzy. Just ask the Bobsy Twins there. I gave them a dose to enjoy their first night together.”

“So awesome!” Jasmine grinned! “Still feeling it Opal. Might just jump my girl here and now.”

“No time! I have to make a run for Nick. Take Zera and her scamp back to town. Dyson called a tow for the sports car.”

“Same tow that just dropped off Esteban Amador’s car. Keeping that driver busy.” Dyson overrode Opal’s voice. “Hey, Zera Lou! You can call me ShadowBitch. Fuck it, names Dyson as in sphere. Much as I’m willing to relay about me but nice to meet ya.”

“Voices!” Zera rolled her eyes. Behind her Veronica used her index finger to make it look as if Irene had lost her mind. It sure did seem that way.

“Why didn’t you just drive up?” Crimson asked the flying craft.

“Keeping my distance until I knew Zera’s state. That much T16R355 in her system, I was leery.”

“I feel nothing! Anger perhaps!”

“How’s the knuckles, Southpaw?”

“Did I not just tell you? I feel no pain.”

“If you say so. Jasmine? Drive them home.”

“I would shop for attire. This shirt is no longer worthy of me.”

“Day’s young!” Opal sighed! “Take her shopping. See her home afterwards.”

“Can I borrow some moolah?” Jasmine gnashed her teeth.

“I got her.” Dyson chuckled! “I’ll put ten grand on Crimson’s Mastercard. Enjoy!”

“No way!” Crimson lit up. “You can do that?”

“Sure! I’ll just swap it from your daddy’s checking. Allowance for the next two years. Trust me I’ll cover the trail.”

“He would skin me alive if he found out.”

“Skin!” Zera interrupted and ripped the bottom two buttons off of Sheldon Cooper’s borrowed shirt. Casting it from her shoulder she began tearing at her burn scar bandages. Veronica tried to stop her only to hear a snarl. Shredding her medicinal tape, she peeled them off without so much as a wince. Dyson moved her drone up then behind to view the burns.

“Cross checking her medical records from Cordoba. Uh? Opie? Her burns look maybe 30% better than the day she checked out.”

“Healing that fast?”

“Zera resists!” Irene hissed then cast her bandages on the ground. “A reminder to my former’s mate. Evolution begins.”

“This is bonkers!” V paced in a circle. “Zera, healing, premonitions, no pain, freaking talking drones. What’s next?”

“Premonitions?” Opal questioned!

“Yeah! Tell her Irene ... I mean Zera. About what we discovered.”

“You babble!” Zera grumbled! “My former’s child was rapped at 16. I trailed it to the very spot.”

“Did you know the spot before today?” Dyson asked.

“The offspring told my former while at the hospital. I calculated distance and felt drawn to the spot.” V realized her lie was moot.

“Have you had these visions before?”

“Of course not! I am reborn.”

“Right!” Dyson chuckled making a CooCoo sound. Veronica tended to agree. The more Crimson and Jasmine heard they were not far behind.

“Do not mock me.”

“We’re trying to grasp you, Zera.” Opal calmed her as best she could. “So, what about this site where Midnight was raped?” News to Opal, she sat back in her driver’s seat with brows lifted, parked behind Sheldon Cooper’s car. Did Nick know?

“Zera had me dig up some soil and we found a necklace. My mind is still blown that it was there. X really does mark the spot I guess.”

“Sex!” Zera corrected her.

“Huh?”

“Do I need to hump you again?”

“Nooooooo! Please don’t!” Jasmine snorted at Zera thrusting her hips toward V. Full frontal even Jasmine considered Zera to have a pretty nice body for a MILS! A Mother I’d Like to Scissor! Sad but true! “I don’t understand how Zera knew, but it was there.”

“Did the necklace belong to Midnight?”

“My former says no. There are engravings on the back.”

“Right!” V chimed in! “Says Burke Loves Liza.”

“Alright! Dys here is going to lower the drone. There’s a latched tray at the bottom that will lower for you. Be careful of the blades and place the necklace in the tray. Make sure its latched good so it’s not lost in flight. Like I said earlier, I need to make a run for Nick. I’ll turn it over to him.”

“Shouldn’t the sheriff get it?”

“Yeah, well, me and the sheriff might not be on speaking terms. I’ll let Nick pass it along.”

Jasmine stepped up to V just as she held the necklace in wait. Examining it for herself Jasmine noted. “There is dried blood on it between the engravings. DNA might show the owner.”

“FBI is at the Shoals. They can run it.” Opal added! “Move it along ladies.” Jasmine took the necklace from V and made the deposit fearlessly. Sealed into the tray the drone rose up. “Go shopping! Zera? If you show signs of T16R355 controlling your sexual urges ... better yet, call me if you witness it, Jasmine.”

“Gotcha, Bounty Booty!”

Off the drone went. Reaching Black Box, a half mile down the road it rested in drydock. Opal retrieved the necklace and bagged it in a sanitary baggy. “Alright! Time to grab a skull. This is getting better and better. Nick is going to pull his hair out.”

Not likely! Cool as a cucumber used on a whore.

Coastal Waiter’s Diner!

“What do we do now, Will?”

Lucas Porcupine was getting antsy just sitting there in booth 5. Not only was the Santee lad nervous by so many onlookers tossing money on the whores below, but the girls were also becoming sexually active. Not once did Midnight Amador or Lillian Dawn Bearpaw remove their foreheads from their ordained master’s shoes, but their hands were busy masturbating the best they could under the strain of their arched spines.

The anal hooks embedded in their assholes were so tight they had to resort to lifting themselves up on their tippy toes just to succeed in planting their foreheads properly as respect. To be honest there could have been far more chaos than there was. The folks in Caretaker, even guests passing through, were all very considerate of the show before them. So much so that as long as money kept coming William was content to remain and cash in.

“Refill?” Will lifted his coke glass toward Caprice Comstock at the counter talking to waitresses Naomi Walker and Lynette Brewer over it all. CC acknowledging Will, poured a fresh drink for both boys.

“They’re eating this up.” Naomi told CC.

“Wouldn’t you?”

“I don’t know how much longer I can keep Olan from blowing up.” Lyn whispered! “Shouldn’t we encourage the boys to take them elsewhere?”

“Not until I get my tip.” CC chuckled! “Now do you see why I want to start waiting tables in a micro bikini. Look at all that green seaweed.”

“William might keep it.” Lyn sighed!

“Not all of it, he won’t!” CC nudged the waitresses aside with her hip to take the drinks to the young masters by decree. Reaching them Caprice leaned over the girls below and sat the drinks down. “How much longer are you staying? You do know I could have used that booth and made some hefty tips but you two, well, four, have hogged it.”

“Feel free to cover your losses, our gains.” Will motioned to the floor. “Just don’t take it all. Gas money and insurance on my new truck that Nick bought me.” He pointed to the lot.

“Nice ride! Lucky you.”

“I know, right!”

“We work for Nick now CC.” Lucas chuckled! “We groom the sluts.”

“Do you now? Maybe I’ll drop by and let you wash my feet.”

“I’d do it.” He grinned!

“Bless you, Ares! By the way, what was that about?”

“Ares, God of War. He’s in my Wonder Woman comics. That’s Princess Diana licking my tennis shoe. I mean my boot!” Sure enough, Dawn was greedily licking the dirt from his shoe.