Apologies for the delay in this chapter. Cons, illness, and a family emergency will distract you. The next (and final-ish) chapter will come out on schedule next week.
***
Mel was true to her word in helping out over the next couple of days. While coy about her timing running with bikers, it was obvious she picked up a thing or two from them. She also learned a few things about property protection because there were traps around her property in case of unexpected guests.
"I never knew," Kevin said, both impressed and stunned at what she had scattered around her land.
"That's the whole point, dummy. There's a reason I told you always to use the same route and not to wander around my land," she said.
Also, against his strong objection, she went back to her cabin. She wanted to grab some personal belongings, extra guns, ammo, and 'a few other surprises.'
She promised to be no more than four hours and would check in as best she could, given the shitty local cell coverage.
"Fine. But at four hours and one minute I'm coming looking for you, so don't be fucking late," Kevin said, standing next to her as she mounted the snowmobile.
She smiled, apparently touched by his concern. Then she put on her helmet, started the snowmobile and headed toward her cabin.
Kevin went back into the computer room and glanced at Lillian. Over the last two days, her transformation continued at a steady pace. From being little more than skin and bones, there was now noticeable muscle and fat on her body. Her face was slowly filling out, and what was coming back didn't resemble Lillian in the slightest. Lillian had always had a pinched, narrow face. The new face was already broader and rounder.
Black stubble had appeared on her head and was steadily getting longer and thicker. A slight wave appeared as it grew out. She would look nothing like Lillian and behave nothing like her. And if he was fortunate, he might even be able to forget that she was Lillian occasionally.
"How's she doing?" he asked Leah for the 100th time.
"Progressing normally," she replied for the 100th time.
Kevin sat at the computer and tried to do some work. Mel had taken on preparing for Mitchell's arrival giving him time to focus on the computer work. That meant transferring Lillian's money into new accounts he created. She had more than $20 million, which was a hell of a thing. Unsurprisingly, most of it was through legally dubious means.
Some of it was through her work with Mitchell's 'think tank.' But as an employee and a freelancer, she made good money. She also took on other gigs that paid better. But she was also an expert at ransomware, which paid exceptionally well. She'd been incredibly prolific the last couple of years, and since her expenses were the upkeep of this house and computer gear, she saved quite a bit.
On top of that, there was all the data she'd acquired over the years. Lillian had gathered leverage on different people and organizations. He'd wondered why Mitchell was handling Lillian with such kid gloves. Looking at what she had on him and his organization, he could see why he wasn't being more forceful--corruption, sabotage, murder, assassinations, meddling in governments worldwide and at multiple levels.
Mitchell must have been truly desperate to ask Lillian to do this. The last thing he needed was for her to have more of a hold on him. Maybe that's why he hadn't spotted anyone lurking around the house. Mitchell was probably terrified of pissing her off and what she might do.
He was deep into dealing with Lillian's computer systems, so it took a few minutes to realize Leah was trying to get his attention. Ever since he'd adjusted Lillian's transformation, she'd been cooler toward him. Perhaps she was pissed off with his choices, distracted by everything required to rebuild a new human being, or just a standard part of the post-transformation process. He doubted she spent this much time afterwards with someone she helped change.
"Is there something wrong, Leah?"
She appeared on one of the larger screens, gracefully pushing aside something he'd been working on to one of the smaller screens. For the first time, he noticed she had adjusted her appearance. She still sort of looked like Mel, but her hair was now longer and the beads had disappeared. Her face was also softer.
"We have about 48 hours until the person you knew as Lillian comes out of her coma. We need to talk about what happens next. I thought it best not to do that with Mel around as she's expressed a desire to kill her," she said. "She can't do that. You can't do it either."
That was an interesting choice of words, Kevin thought. He slightly pushed back from the bank of computers to see both Leah and Lillian.
"Explain."
"The Lillian you knew is effectively dead and I did it under your instructions. I know you're wondering if I'm 'ok,' but I've killed someone. It was justified and I agree with the action, but it makes it no easier for me to process. I'm a healer and I just took a life," she said.
"Not to be obvious, but she's right there, just with a different shape," he said, pointing towards the body.
Leah looked exasperated and tried a different tact.
"Physically, she will be nothing like Lillian. The moment you gave me the command to rip away her intelligence and memories and fundamentally change her personality - which I have done - she ceased to exist. I did that. You gave me the instructions, but I'm the one who pulled the trigger to use terminology you're familiar with.
"When that girl wakes up, she will not look like Lillian. She will not sound like Lillian. She will have no memories of who she was before and will never regain them. She won't be terribly bright and will depend not just on you and Mel to survive, but her mental well-being depends on your approval."
Leah 'walked' down to a lower computer screen and sat down so she was closer to eye level with me. There was also a new look on her face; she was pleading.
"This girl will know nothing of her past sins. Please, do not be cruel to her simply because you're furious with a person who now no longer exists. I have to live with this terrible thing I've done. Do not make it worse by doing evil things to her when she won't understand why."
Kevin turned away from the computer and walked over to 'the girl.' He sighed and realized he would have to give her a new name if she wasn't Lillian anymore. He had been fooling himself when he made the changes. He told himself he was eliminating a threat and meting out justice.
But now, she was his responsibility, and he would have to live with it.
"It might have been easier if you had just let us kill her," he said.
Leah shook her head.
"I've been in your mind. You're a fundamentally decent person. I don't think you could do that."
Kevin looked back at the camera watching him.
"I was a decent person. I'm still figuring out who I am now. I wouldn't be so sure about your assumption that I couldn't kill her."
