Gaia

"Would you like some dinner, Sir?"

"No, Reuben. Take the night off and do whatever it is androids do in their free time." Eli's voice was sharp and angry, but it didn't faze Reuben in the slightest. It made Eli more irrationally angry.

"Very good, Sir," the android said calmly, turning to leave the gym where Eli was currently beating the hell out of a punching bag. He gave it another fierce punch and it swung back and nearly knocked him off his feet. He let out a growl of frustration.

"Sir, if you don't mind my asking, will Miss Gold be returning any time soon?"

"No," Eli snapped, his fuses clenching and then going slack at his sides. "No, Reuben, I don't think so."

Reuben left without another word and Eli stood there for a long time, his knuckles throbbing from all the punches he'd thrown. He didn't know what happened. Everything had been great; he was bewildered by Mari's sudden attitude change. Though maybe he shouldn't have been. He should have known she would eventually realize he wasn't worth her time. He should have known better than to think he could ever be happy again.

He gave the bag a final vicious smack and then went upstairs to shower. He was toweling his hair dry when he emerged into the front room, finding Reuben in sleep mode in the corner. He started to head to the kitchen and stepped on something. He looked down and realized it was the piece of paper Mari had thrown at him before she left. He picked it up and glanced at it briefly before tossing it into the trash bin. He opened the refrigerator and stared blankly into it, not even really seeing what was inside.

Then something clicked in his mind and he whirled, frantically fishing the paper out of the trash. He stared at it more closely, his heart turning to ice. Desoto's business card. Desoto had given it to Mari. Desoto had been in his office.

Desoto knew. Somehow, he knew who Eli was. The whole world tilted and went hazy for a moment but Eli shook the panic off. He needed a clear head. He tore into the living room, calling Jeremiah on his holo caller. Eli wasn't in the habit of trusting people, but he trusted Jeremiah.

"What's up, Boss?"

"Get over to my apartment, now. I need your help, and Jeremiah? This is personal. Not a word to anyone."

"Okay, Boss." Jeremiah looked curious but worried as he disconnected.

"Reuben, wake up. I need you."

Reuben stirred, his eyes blinking. "Yes, Sir."

"Jeremiah is on his way over. I'll explain when he gets here." Eli paced restlessly until Jeremiah arrived.

"I need the two of you to get Mari," he said, by way of greeting. "This is her address. Then take her immediately to his address, in Tower K. You are not, under any circumstances, to let Mari or the woman who lives in this apartment leave. You keep them hidden, you protect them, and you do not let anyone inside. Is that clear?"

"Eli, what the hell is going on? Who lives there?"

"Gracie. My sister."

"Wait a minute, hold up. You have a sister? And you never told me? Is she hot or does she look like you?"

"Jeremiah, shut up and focus for two seconds,"
Eli said irritably. "I don't care what you have to do, drug Mari if you have to. But get here to Gracie's; she goes by the last name Enderson not Beckstrom. Keep them safe for me."

"And what are you gonna do?"

"I'm going to...I don't know." Eli blew out his breath in a huff, running his hands nervously through his hair. "Listen, Jeremiah. This night might not end well for me. If things go south, I need you to get Mari and Gracie away from here. Keep them as far away from Lord Desoto as you can."

"Lord Desoto? You have beef with Desoto? Eli, that guy has more than a few screws loose."

"I know. Just...keep them safe for me."

"I will. But you're not dying tonight, Boss."

Eli clapped him on the shoulder. "I hope you're right. But if I do, I'm counting on you to do a better job of protecting those girls than I did."

"Eli, man, you're freaking me out."

"Just go, Jeremiah. And hurry."

Jeremiah saluted and then he and Reuben disappeared out the front door. Eli called Gracie next, simply telling her that Mari would be over soon, with his butler and a trusted Enforcer. He instructed her to let them in, and no one else."

"Eli, what are you talking about? What's going on?"

"I love you, Grace. Please just trust me on this."

"Eli you're scaring me."

"It'll be fine, Grace."

"Eli-"

He disconnected. She tried to call him back but he didn't answer. He went into his room and pulled the gun out of his nightstand, slipping it in his coat pocket. He felt on edge, but somehow detached. Like he was just watching himself from a distance and none of this was really happening. He didn't even know what "this" was yet. He sat in tense silence for nearly an hour, and then his holo caller rang again. This time it wasn't Gracie. When Eli answered a holograph of Stefan Desoto appeared before him.

"Mr. Beckstrom, good evening. I do hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Not at all." Eli didn't even recognize his own voice. His tone sounded flat and gravelly.

"Excellent. Perhaps then you wouldn't mind having a little meeting? I have some security measures I'd like to discuss."

"Name the time and place."

"How about now?" Desoto asked pleasantly. "We can meet at my office or yours. Take your pick, Mr. Beckstrom."

"My office will be fine," Eli replied, deciding his own turf was better than Desoto's.

"I'll be there in no time."

Desoto gave him a shark-like smile and hung up. He made his way to his office, ordering the few people milling around to go find real work to do. He sat down at his desk, one hand resting absently against the gun in his pocket. Desoto arrived and entered without knocking, his personal guard from the elevator in tow as well as one other Enforcer. This one Eli didn't recognize.

"A lot of manpower for a meeting," Eli remarked.

"I don't go anywhere unprepared."

"Would you and your guests like something to drink? Scotch? Brandy?"

"Brandy sounds delightful. Just for me though, I'm afraid. Jensen and Dobbs are on duty."

Eli poured two glasses, keeping one for himself though he didn't drink it. He watched Desoto take a few sips and nod approvingly.

"You keep quality booze, Mr. Beckstrom."

"What can I assist you with, Lord Desoto?"

"It's a bit of a personal matter. I thought it had been cleared up years ago, but it seems I overlooked a rather crucial loose end. I'm quite embarrassed about it, to tell you the truth. Usually I, and those in my employ, are not so careless."

There was a trace of ice in his tone and Eli noticed the personal guard wince ever so slightly. Eli felt a surge of morbid pleasure; he hoped the guard had paid dearly for not making sure Eli was dead eight years ago. The bastard deserved whatever he got and then some.

"Yes I imagine that be most troubling for you," Eli said to Desoto. "Lords can't go around leaving loose ends to unravel."

"No. They absolutely cannot." Desoto's tone was still pleasant but his eyes had narrowed. "You see, a few years back some bottom dwelling urchin managed to hack my personal computer. I'm not sure exactly how much information he made off with, perhaps none at all. But I can't let this sort of thing go unpunished. I had the Ground scum dealt with, along with his family. To deliver a clear message. I was under the impression that he was dead. But now I'm thinking he may have slipped past my radar."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. It's so." Desoto clasped his hands on the desktop and leaned forward. "His name was Eli Carver."

"What an odd coincidence. Although, Eli isn't an uncommon name. Some people like to use those old biblical names."

"Indeed. I didn't think much of it at first, the day I encountered you on the elevator. You seemed agitated and I was curious. So I had Jensen here do some research on you, and found that you were head of security for several towers. An impressive feat for someone who's only in their twenties. So we dug a little more. Your background is very generic, Mr. Beckstrom."

"Were you expecting something more glamorous?"

"Nothing seemed at all out of the ordinary, actually. Except when we dug deep enough, we found the whole identity was a complete fabrication. I have to hand it to you your ability to manipulate the system is exceptional. I dare say you're practically a genius. But technology is ever changing, ever advancing. And my techs are some of the best there are. It took time and effort, but we eventually found that Eli Beckstrom is nothing but smoke and mirrors. And that got me wondering: why would someone go to all the effort of creating an entire identity, and climbing the ladder to such heights as this? So I sent Jensen back to the Ground, to track down anyone who might have known the Carver family. He came across a man who, with some persuasion, admitted to him that Eli Carver had survived, and disappeared soon after his alleged death."

"That's quite a story," Eli said blandly. Blood was rushing in his ears. Desoto had made no mention of Gracie, but that didn't mean he didn't know she was still alive too.

"Isn't it?" Desoto gave him that predatory smile again. "Really one for the books."

"So what do you want from me?"

"I think you know exactly what I want, Mr. Carver. I want you as dead as you were supposed to be eight years ago."

"Eli Carver is dead," Eli said flatly. "He died in his home when he was sixteen."

"Unfortunately I'm not interested in your metaphorical demise."

Eli noticed a subtle flick of his gaze toward his guards and Eli's hand immediately dropped to his pocket. The one called Jensen moved on him first and Eli lashed out, spinning his chair and taking the man's legs out from beneath him. Jensen let out a grunt as he stumbled and caught himself on the edge of the desk before he went sprawling on the floor. Eli was on his feet with the gun in his hand, barrel aiming for Jensen's head. The other guard lunged at him from the side and tried to wrestle the gun free.

Eli elbowed him hard in the face and then noticed Desoto get up from his chair and begin to head for the door. He liked his messes cleaned up, but didn't want to watch it happen. Eli raised the gun and fired. The second guard pulled on his arm at the last second and the blast hit Desoto in the leg instead of the back. He let out a cry and fell to the floor.

Both guards were on Eli in a flash, Jensen managing to knock the gun away from him. Everything was a frantic blur of motion, fists flying. Eli seized the half empty bottle of brandy off the desk and smashed it into the second guard's temple, sending him down in a heap. Jensen kicked the back of his knees and Eli fell forward. Jensen stood over him and delivered several swift, hard kicks to his ribs. Then he laughed.

He had laughed when he violated Jess and Eli's parents, too. Eli twisted onto his back in a surge of fury so potent it practically choked him.

"Should've stayed dead, kid," Jensen said, looking smug as ever.

"And miss this chance for a reunion?" Eli spat. He kicked, tangling his legs with Jensen's and brining the man crashing down beside him. They grappled for a moment but Eli got the upper hand and pinned Jensen down. He rained blows down one after the other until Jensen was practically unrecognizable. He was dimly aware that someone was shouting in the hall, trying to get into his office. They must have been attracted by all the noise.

Then white hot pain blazed through his side and he jerked, falling away from Jensen's now still form. His own knuckles were bruised and bloody and blood was blossoming fast across his right side. Pure adrenaline kept him from passing out right away and he was able to turn his head and see Desoto. He had dragged himself to Eli's dropped gun. Panting, he raised it to take aim again. Eli lunged to the side but it still clipped his left shoulder, grazing it. A haze of pain was overcoming his raw fury and the room turned fuzzy at the edges.

Someone burst into the office. Screamed Eli's name. He was pretty sure it was Gracie though that couldn't be right. She shouldn't be here. The world had turned soft, a melting blur of red and gray spots as he started to slip away from consciousness. Still he saw Gracie leap at Desoto, stomping on his injured leg. He howled and dropped the gun. Then somehow it was in Gracie's hands and she pistol whipped Desoto so hard Eli thought he saw a tooth fly out. He dropped and didn't move again.

Then she was there, yelling at Eli not to leave her, and he thought this must be a dream because she had done the same thing when she was twelve. Someone else rushed forward and the last thing Eli saw before blackness overcame him was Mari's face beside Gracie's. Then he was gone.