EVE S4 Ep1- NEW BLOOD

Pt 10

Kat stepped into the house, the door creaking softly as she closed it behind her. The warm glow of the living room lights spilled into the hallway, and she was immediately struck by the sight of Nick pacing back and forth, his expression grim. Will sat on the couch, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, but the second Kat walked in, he stood, his movements abrupt and almost frantic.

Nick stopped pacing and turned toward her, relief flooding his features as he took a step closer. "Kat," he said, his voice edged with worry. "Thank God you’re home."

Kat blinked, taken aback by their intensity. "Uh… yeah, I’m fine," she said, trying to sound casual as she shrugged off her jacket. "Why wouldn’t I be?"

Will exchanged a look with Nick, one that Kat didn’t miss. They were on edge about something—something serious. She glanced between them, her confusion growing.

Before she could press further, Lily appeared at the top of the stairs, her voice calm but firm. "Well, you might as well tell her." She descended slowly, her arms crossed over her chest, her expression unreadable as she joined them in the living room.

Nick sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright," he said reluctantly, looking at Kat. "There’s something we need to explain."

Kat frowned, her curiosity now mingling with a flicker of unease. "What’s going on?"

Nick hesitated, clearly trying to choose his words carefully. "A few years ago," he began, "we were involved in a… project. It was called Project Eternity."

"A project?" Kat repeated, her brow furrowing.

Will stepped forward, his hands fidgeting. "It wasn’t just any project," he said, his voice quieter, almost hesitant. "Her name was Eve. She… she wasn’t just some experiment. She was… part of our family." His voice cracked slightly, and he stammered, unable to find the right words to explain what Eve had meant to him.

Kat opened her mouth to ask a question, but her mind was still tangled with the cryptic text messages and the billboard screen. Before she could say anything, Nick placed a hand on Will’s shoulder, a gesture that was both comforting and a subtle way to stop him from saying more.

"Eve was extraordinary," Nick continued. "But things didn’t go as planned. She had to go into hiding."

Kat’s confusion deepened. "Hiding? Why?"

Before Nick could respond, Lily spoke up, her tone sharp. "Because she exposed herself. And now…" She held up her phone, the screen glowing with a message Kat couldn’t quite make out. "We think she’s trying to contact us again. We've been getting cryptic messages all day."

The room fell into an awkward silence, the weight of their words hanging heavy in the air. Kat’s stomach churned. Were they serious? A sentient AI contacting them? It sounded like something out of a sci-fi movie. And yet, the memory of the mall screen and the text messages loomed large in her mind.

Nick broke the silence, his gaze piercing. "Has anyone… strange tried contacting you today? Or anything unusual happened?"

Kat hesitated, her heartbeat quickening. She forced a casual shrug, feigning ignorance. "Nope. Nothing."

Nick studied her for a moment longer before nodding. "Alright."

"I’m tired," Kat said quickly, taking the opportunity to leave. "I’m going to bed." She turned to head upstairs, her pulse racing.

"Kat," Will’s voice stopped her at the foot of the stairs. She turned to look at him, surprised by the sudden informality in his tone. They barely knew each other, but his expression was earnest. "You’d tell me if something happened, right?"

Kat blinked, momentarily caught off guard. She hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. I’d tell you."

Will searched her face, as if trying to find something she wasn’t saying, but he eventually nodded, stepping back to let her go.

Kat climbed the stairs and entered her room, shutting the door behind her. She leaned against it for a moment, her thoughts swirling. Pulling her phone from her pocket, she stared at the screen, re-reading the messages. Don’t let them fool you. I’m closer than you think.

Her mind raced as she crossed the room and sank onto her bed, still in her jacket. Her faced her wall, her mind somewhere else entirely. The muffled sound of voices from downstairs reached her ears, but she couldn’t focus on them. She felt a strange pull—an unease she couldn’t shake.

Her eyes drifted towards the window.

Without thinking, she climbed out onto the roof, the cold wind biting at her skin. She drew her knees to her chest, staring down at the grass below. The voices from the kitchen drifted faintly through the air, but she couldn’t make out the words.

Inside, the tension was palpable.

Nick’s voice was firm. "We shouldn’t drag Kat into this."

"She’s part of this now, whether she likes it or not," Lily shot back, her arms crossed tightly.

Will, biting his thumbnail, looked between them. "I don’t know, Lils. You remember how tough it was for us, hiding Eve and everything. Kat deserves a normal childhood."

Nick nodded in agreement. "Poor kid’s been through enough already," he muttered, though he didn’t elaborate.

The argument continued, their voices rising and falling in hushed tones. Outside, Kat remained still, her eyes fixed on the darkness around her. The weight of their words and her own secrets pressed heavily on her chest.

A gust of wind tousled her hair, a gentle breeze wafting around her.

It seemed this "simple solution" wasn't so simple after all.