The guard hesitated, glancing at Alexander to ask permission. Receiving it, he stepped to the side and opened the door.
"You only have a few minutes," he informed her.
Kira didn't answer, her attention already on the woman inside.
"Her biorhythms are consistent with Elise's," Jin said, using the comms so the woman wouldn't hear.
His words woke her out of her daze. Kira slowly made her way over to the table and took a seat.
Elise's gaze followed her the entire way.
A less suspicious person might have assumed the woman was feeling the same cocktail of emotions as Kira.
Unfortunately, Kira's rose-colored glasses were destroyed long ago.
"You've come all this way. Aren't you going to say anything?" the Elise lookalike asked when Kira didn't speak.
"Do you recognize me?" Kira asked through numb lips.
A pang of recognition went through her at Elise's crooked smile.
"It hasn't been that long," Elise said.
"Thirteen years."
"Twelve and four months." Elise winked. "But who's counting?"
"Why are you here?" Kira asked, not letting herself get pulled into the other's pace.
"I missed you."
"You have a funny way of showing it."
Elise flicked a dismissive hand. "You can't blame me for that. I knew you'd save them. You always do."
Instead of the expected anger, Kira felt herself relax. "I'll give you this. You almost had me fooled."
Elise watched her carefully. "You think I'm a fake."
"I don't just think. I know. You wear her face and have her mannerisms, but you're not her."
Kira stood and made her way over to the door.
"Red balloon."
Kira froze as Elise sent her a coquettish look.
"Do I have your attention now?"
Kira didn’t answer, feeling rooted to the spot, her chest tight and her gaze unseeing.
"Not enough?" Elise tapped her chin. "Then how about the hawk jumped over the crow.”
Kira flinched.
“Still think I'm fake?” Elise asked.
Feeling like she was in a nightmare, Kira took in the woman who knew things only Elise would.
