Aden stared down at the fruit he held in his hand. The peaches had taken him back to high school where he had relived every moment with Rose, he thought he would never forget. He was tempted to eat another to see if he could relive more of their early years but opted for an apple this time. He merely hesitated to eat it for fear of what it may reveal. Though he was hoping to relive their college years and thus learn how he lost his memories of her to begin with, a part of him feared there may be a trauma or something he wouldn't want to remember.
The violet-eyed little girl appeared before him and rest her small hand on his arm. "What has been done cannot be undone. What you have lived cannot be unlived. Only atoned for. Do not fear what you will learn in this garden. It is only a history, not a prophesy."
With that he raised the apple to his lips and sunk his teeth into it. The girl and the garden faded away as a darkened hall came into view. It was something straight out of a horror movie, cold and damp. It was sparsely decorated with old relics and oil paintings. For a moment he felt as if he had been transported to another time in history rather than a point in his own life. He heard voices coming from his left, so he followed them to the door they were emanating from. He peered through the open door and found four men speaking amongst each other. The dark-skinned man at the head of the table was the first to notice him. "Ah! Just in time. Come in and take a seat. Come on." The man smiled as her pointed to the chair opposite him. "My friends, this is the man I was telling you about. Braydon, these are my associates. This is Jason" he said as he pointed to the pale male to his right. "He is my right-hand man. Next to him is Tommy, an expert in surveillance and tracking." Tommy looked young compared to the rest, his brownish blonde hair was shaggy and unkempt, and his clothes were slightly too small and worn. Nothing at all like the other three well-dressed stuffed shirts he was sitting with. To my left is…"
"Carma?" Aden asked bewildered. The man looked exactly like his co-worker at the precinct.
"Carmichael," The man interrupted. "For now." He added giving the dark-skinned man a sly grin. "Isn't that right, Nickolas." He reached his hand over to rest it on Nickolas'.
Nickolas withdrew his hand from the table thus shutting down the man's advance. "Yes, well, that's a conversation for another time." Turning his attention to Aden, he stood in greeting. "Please, Braydon. Sit. We have much to discuss." Aden did as he was instructed, trying to place the faces before him. None of them seemed the least bit familiar, except for Carmichael. To the others at the table Nickolas explained, "This is Braydon Jefferies. He has agreed to help us with our little problem." The three looked at him with judgment on their faces. The name Braydon had sounded familiar and foreign.
Carmichael was the first to speak. "How is he going to close to her?"
"Is he human?" Jason inquired to Nickolas before redirecting the question to Aden. "Are you human?"
"I-I believe so." Aden cautiously answered. "I-I'm sorry. My brain is not… I'm not…" He sighed deeply to relax his nerves. "I'm a-afraid I'm a little confused. Remind me again what I'm expected to do here."
"Twila Rose. We discussed you getting to know her a little better."
Realization came over him. "Ah! Right. High school. In Twin Falls. Idaho. Got it. I apologize. I woke up feeling a bit off. Must've been something I ate." Something like an apple in a strange garden. "I trust you have taken care of the legalities of my enrollment."
Jason responded, "Indeed. I have what you need here." He slid a file across the table for Aden to look at. "Your name will be Kaden Michaels. Kaden because is sounds similar to your own name which should make it easier for you to answer to as to avoid raising suspicions. Michaels because…"
"Michael is my middle name. I understand. Keeping things familiar for the benefit of the deception." Aden perceived. The hair on his neck bristled at the memory he was now reliving. The insinuation of it led him to believe that the relationship he had built with Rose in high school was a ruse. Shame and disgust arose in his chest at the thought though he kept it from reaching his expression. "Hasn't it been mentioned that she can see through deceptions with a touch of her hand? How am I to get close without letting her touch me?"
"That is where Tommy comes in. He will erase and block anything and everything to do with this arrangement. When he is finished, you will believe you are Kaden Michaels of Winnemucca, Nevada. A transfer student to Twin Falls High School where you will meet and befriend out red-eyed vixen. You will gain her trust and with that trust you will lead her to me. You won't do it knowingly. It'll like instinct. It'll be programmed into you."
"I see." He looked over at the man named Tommy. He looked young enough to do this job himself so Aden couldn't understand why they chosen him to befriend and betray this girl. He was a nobody from a poor family that lived in the poorest of neighborhoods of Chicago. The money they had promised for his cooperation would be paid to his parents to cover the cost of his mother's cancer treatments and that was enough to get him to agree. Part of him wondered if he would ever see his parents again. "What of my parents?" He asked.
"Already taken care of. You will wake up in the home of you new parents. Their names are in that file. Are you ready Braydon?"
Aden eyed Tommy who glanced in his direction. The nails on the man's fingers began to elongate and curve into hook looking blades and his eyes took on a cat like appearance. Aden's throat hitched forcing him to swallow hard. It was too late to back of the deal. He wondered if he would remember this memory once the cat-like man did what he had come to do. He searched the faces of the men at the table and saw only eagerness. Nickolas sat with a knowing grin, while Carmichael, who looks just like Carma at the station, chewed on his fingernails. Jason showed no expression on his face but leaned his upper body closer to the table in anticipation. "Yes," was Aden's answer, barely above a whisper.
Tommy moved from his seat effortlessly and silently placing himself before Aden. "This won't hurt a bit." He said as he reached his clawed hands to the sides of Aden's face. He gently tapped Aden's skull as if looking for the right points to insert his claws. Once he appeared satisfied with the position of his fingers he said, "Do not be afraid. She will not be able to see what I am blocking today. You are safe." Aden blinked his eyes to indicate he understood. Tommy then stabbed all ten of his claws into Aden's head.
Aden had closed his eyes when Tommy stabbed him with his claws. He was expecting darkness to overcome him but instead his eyelids were flooded with light. Slowly he opened them to see what kind of room his fake parents would have made up for him, but instead he saw trees. In his hand was a half-eaten apple. He tossed the apple away making a mental note not to eat another one.