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Book 2, Ch 2: Zacs Mom

  Zac walked out the doors and moments later returned. When he reentered, an older woman in a form-fitting lavender dress was on his arm. She looked similar to Zac in several ways. Still, the most obvious was that oddly vantablack hair and their dark violet eyes. However,

  “Is that his mum or sister? Is Zac sure he’s not adopted? That bonnie lass is pale as a banshee’s tits.” Patrick folded his brawny arms as his thick Scottish accent rang out.

  “Don’t be ignorant, yeah, she’s Creole,” Micheal responded.

  “What in a Skinwalker’s bawbag is Creole?”

  “Ah, bruv, alright mate, listen up.” Micheal began to explain to Patrick.

  Kenji tuned in to listen because he was also unfamiliar with the term. He just assumed Zac was of mixed ethnicity. Listening to Micheal’s explanation, he looked at Zac’s mother. She was more than a few shades lighter than her son, and her skin also seemed a bit pale on top of that. He had heard that she suffered from some sort of chronic illness, but he wasn’t aware that it affected her so visibly. However, her illness did nothing to diminish her presence or hide the fact that,

  “She’s gorgeous,” Akiko commented as she stood beside Kenji.

  “I wonder how old she is? She looks like she is barely older than Sensei.” Ume added

  “No kidding, I wonder what her skincare routine is?” Miko joined the girls in her fascination with Zac's mother.

  “You hardly need a skincare routine anymore.” Kenji shook his head. He doubts they would have to worry much about aging thanks to their nanomachines.

  “Yeah, but I’m still curious.” Miko pouted.

  “Tsk… she seems stuck up.” Genki snorted.

  Everyone looked at him like he was crazy. He puffed up his chest proudly and continued,

  “What?! Yeah…she’s elegant and pretty, but look. She hasn’t even registered anyone else here. Like we’re all beneath her. I’ve seen plenty of stuck-up women like her in high school and university. I bet she comes from money.” Genki crossed his arms, assured of his assumption.

  “She has no family and runs a flower shop. She raised Sensei alone since he was born in a relatively modest suburban home just outside the city limits.” Ume responded, looking at Genki with a deadpan expression.

  “Whatever, maybe her family cut her off or something. I'm right about this.” Genki was stubborn in his assessment.

  “Hmmm.” Was the only response given by Watabe.

  Everyone else seemed to concern themselves with meaningless observations. However, Watabe felt something else going on with this woman. On the other hand, Kenji had an even deeper feeling; something was screaming in the very core of his being that made him want to bow in respect to the woman as she walked past them. It was more profound than the respect he felt one should pay towards his elders; it was akin to paying respects to a ruler.

  “Well, everyone, this is my mother, Nina Zym.” Zac finally introduced his mother as he brought her to the front table.

  “So you are the people who’ve been keeping my son away from me?” She looked out at the room full of people with a gentle smile, her velvety voice instantly capturing the room's attention.

  She had a natural commanding aura about her. Even her simple gestures demanded everyone's attention. Even Travis’ non-existent attention span locked on her every motion.

  “For the longest time, it has just been me and my little Keta. But I knew since he was a little boy that he was far too special for me to keep all to myself. As much as I would have liked to do just that. I knew the world would come to see what I saw one day. Now I look out on a room full of people here to support my baby boy, and I could not be happier.”

  Nina looked towards Shaila and motioned for her to come to her. After taking Shaila by the hand, she looked back toward the room of people,

  “I look forward to getting to know all of you tonight. Especially you, young lady. So don’t let this old woman stop you kids from having fun. Go on and play.” She giggled as she walked off with Zac and Shaila toward the patio and waved off the rest of them. Some people went to follow so they could introduce themselves to her.

  “Oh, yeah… so stuck up.” Izumi joked as he placed his hand on Genki’s shoulder.

  “Oh, shut up!!! I’m sure I’m right; she comes from money!!” Genki, mesmerized by Nina, snapped out of it with help from Izumi’s chiding remarks.

  On the patio, Nina was doing her best to converse with Shaila between the many individuals who came over to greet the woman who raised “The Anomly.” None were fool enough to mention or even hint at such a thing. She was lovely and cordial to all of them except for two,

  “Good evening, mam. I’m glad to see the dress I sent fits you so well. Though I am ashamed to admit it could not do your beauty justice. I am Léonie Laurent, a pleasure.” Léonie stretched out her hand to greet Nina.

  “One must admit their faults if they are to improve. Nina Zym,” Nina’s voice, which retained its smoothness, had every ounce of warmth drained from it as she looked at Léonie’s hand, before grabbing it.

  “You’re that boy’s partner, are you not?”

  “If that boy in question is Devin, then yes, mam,” Léonie responded.

  “Hmmm, well, I shouldn’t expect him to have much taste in women.”

  Zac and Shaila’s snickering could be heard from behind Nina’s stern expression. Nina was taller than the average woman, but so was Léonie. But at this moment, even with all her abilities and confidence, Léonie felt so small before her. However, she would not be so easily dominated,

  “I see your son gets his looks and mouth from you.”

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  “He gets his claws from me too, would you like to see?” Nina responded with a smile.

  That smile sent shivers down Léonie back,

  “I think I’ll pass, thanks.” She pried her hand free of the woman and began to walk away.

  “Just don’t stand there, Devin, go after her,” Nina replied mockingly to Devin, who chased after Léonie, but not before clearing his throat and saying,

  “Always nice to see you, mam.”

  “So I take it you don’t like Devin?” Shaila asked with a smile.

  “I’m not stupid, dear. I don’t know what you kids get into, and I don’t want to know; you can do what you want. But I know it’s a very unsavory type of work.”

  Shaila sighed at Nina’s words. Most of those who worked within the Renegades had no families or weren’t very close with them. However, Zac and his mother were extremely close; it would be odd if she didn’t suspect anything. Shaila flinched in surprise when she felt Nina’s hand touch her face,

  “I don’t know your situation, but I know the only reason my son is dealing with whatever you do is because of Devin.”

  “He’s been my best friend for almost a decade, mom.” Zac cut in.

  “And I’ve been telling you for almost a decade that you need better friends.” Nina snapped back, much to Shaila’s delight. It was nice to see someone who beat Zac in verbal jousting.

  “Take care of him, sweetheart. My son is incredible, which I’m sure you already know. But he has certain blind spots that make him incredibly stupid.”

  “Yes, mam.” Shaila smiled.

  “Good girl. Speaking of impressionable children, it seems your ‘Tiny Tots’ are here.” Nina turned around to greet the mass of 30 teenagers who had come to greet her.

  “You all must be the Tiny Tots, the group of interns my sons are looking after, yes? He’s told me so much about you all.”

  Zac rubbed the back of his neck as he looked away in embarrassment.

  “Has he really? Do you really, Keta?” Kenji teased the embarrassed Zac.

  “Yes… so much so I bet I can guess all of your names.” She smiled at them like a happy grandmother among a sea of grandchildren.

  She pointed out each of them one by one, accurately guessing their names. Once she named 28 individuals, he focused her attention on Kenji and Ume,

  “And you two must be Ume and Kenji.” She smiled at the two of them before leaning in and whispering to the two of them,

  “He talks about you two the most.”

  Ume smiled confidently as if that should be obvious. Kenji on the other hand looked over at Zac, who was trying his best not to make eye contact with any of the Tiny Tots.

  “So you got any embarrassing stories about Mr. Zac?” Travis said with excitement.

  “Hmmm, embarrassing stories? Ah, yeah. Well, when Zac was 11, we went to a Swap Meet for fun, and he…”

  “OKAY!! That’s enough of that. Time for you kids to head back inside.” Zac interrupted his mother's story, much to the dismay of everyone there. He then began to shuffle the children from the patio area.

  “Ah, lame!!! What did you do at the Swap Meet? Oh I know, you traded for something stupid, and when you found out how stupid it was you cried!!” Travis rambled off his theory.

  “You’re not too far off actually, good guess.” Nina giggled.

  “I knew it, what was it! What was it?!”

  “Bye Travis.” Zac pushed Travis inside.

  “Why do they get to stay?”

  “I want to talk to them for a bit.” Nina answered. Travis looked defeated, as Zac closed the door.

  Zac rested his back against the closed door and sighed. He then gave his mother an incredulous look. Nina, giggled,

  “Aww, that’s the same look you gave me at the Swap Meet.”

  “I was 11 you should have…”

  “No, you learn more through failure.” Nina interrupted him.

  Zac shook his head in defeat as Kenji looked over at Nina. Now he was curious about what happened, but from the look on Zac’s face Kenji knew that was never going to happen.

  “Why do you wanna talk to these kids?” Zac asked.

  “Because you trust them. I don’t know why and for what reason, but you trust them. So I want to judge them.” Nina responded.

  “Judge them?” Shaila asked.

  “Yes. I admit, my son’s ability to choose impressive colleagues is admirable. Take Devin for instance. He’s a wildly successful businessman, no doubt thanks in no small part to my son here. At least Devin had good enough sense to see his value, where others shied away from him.” Nina smiled at Zac but Kenji could see a bit of sadness in her eyes.

  “However, his ability to discern character leaves much to be desired. I don’t like Devin… but you dear, you’re alright.” Nina smiled at Shaila.

  “So you’re saying sensei’s judgment of character is faulty? And why don’t you like Mr. Valéry?” Ume asked.

  “Not faulty, he’s hmmm… how should I put this? He’s weak to affection. He knows it too, that is why he acts the way he does. And as far as my distaste for Devin Valéry. Call it mother’s intuition.” Nina said nothing more, as she stared at Ume for a moment.

  Kenji looked at Zac, as he saw the man in question roll his eyes at his mother’s suggestion. Kenji started to chuckle a bit, what he mother said made sense, Zac seemed to be needlessly abrasive at times. Like he put up an intentional wall, so much so that most of the other Chasers didn’t seem to close to him at all, in fact most seemed terrified of him. The same could be said for the Tiny Tots in the beginning,

  “Luckily, we were too stupid to be scared away, I guess.” Kenji mumbled while chuckling to himself. Nina picked up on Kenji’s chuckle and then gave him the same look he gave Ume. It felt like Nina’s placid stare burrowed into the core of his being, before she let out a soft chuckle of her own.

  Nina believed the phrase “eyes were the windows to the soul”, and had gotten a knack for reading individuals as such. What she saw when she looked in Shaila’s eyes, was understanding, warmth, strength, and a desire to support. She could tell that this woman truly loved her son. What she saw when she looked into Ume’s eyes was curiosity, and respect for her son. She saw a desire to please, and a search for recognition. A typical relationship between a mentor and mentee, one where the mentee held the mentor in the highest regard.

  What she saw when she looked into Kenji’s eyes was, a desire to overcome, a desire to defeat, but boundless respect, and a willingness to learn. She saw a healthy rivalry. Nina thought back to the first time Zac introduced her to Devin.

  What she saw from that boy was a deep seeded need, a desire to tame and subdue. It was not the feeling of looking at a friend, but a possession. What was even more disturbing was its hidden nature, as if he was trained to do so. It disgusted her. Even though that feeling has faded in subsequent meetings, Devin being around her son still made her uncomfortable.

  “Seems he did a little better this time around. Kenji and Ume, look after my son in the future, and help anyway you can.” Nina let out a sigh of relief. These 3 did seem to be a decent enough lot, as did most of the “Tiny Tots”. They all seemed to have genuine affection for her son.

  “I would have done so, even without your request, mam.” Ume responded with a bow.

  “I guess, I can help him out. As long as he asks nicely.” Kenji blushed in embarrassment.

  “Thank you. Now if you two don’t mind, I would like to spend the rest of the evening getting to know my future daughter-in-law.”

  “Yeah, sure. I’ll even watch the door to make sure no one bothers you guys if you want.” Kenji volunteered.

  “That would be lovely, thank you.” Nina responded.

  After Kenji and Ume left, Nina turned her attention towards Shaila.

  “Now that it’s just the three of us, tell me sweetheart, how did you and my son meet?”

  Shaila looked over at Zac and then sighed. They had talked about the lie they would tell beforehand, but Nina 's presence seemed to weigh on Shaila more than she thought. She let out another sigh,

  “Well, it happened sometime after my parents died in an incident, and …”

  Shaila weaved the first of hopefully many tall tales that she and her husband would tell her future mother-in-law.

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