Eve Part 3

Police Station, nine o'clock

On the bottom floor, where civilians were waiting, a little girl was sitting in one of the chairs of the canteen. She wore a jacket that looked too big on her, her hair and face were muddy. A man approached with two steaming trays in his hands. He wore a pair of machetes around his waist, a shirt that was once white, jeans and boot. Jason was not preferring to equip his machetes at police station, generally. He felt naked while unarmed due to the last night.

''You should be hungry,'' he said while placing trays on their small tables ''Be careful, it is hot.'' The girl looked at the table. There were two glasses full of mud colored liquid and pastries in a shape same as the form of last night's moon.

''Start with croissants, they are not bad for a place like this.'' The young man in the buffet grunted something.

''If you don't know, let me tell you that I studied gastronomy at the Academia. You speak too brave for someone who looks like you.'' Jason looked at his shirt. He spent most of the last night unconscious at the grass. He had good excuses. He realized that the girl wasn't eating anything.

''Don't you like it? You can eat what you got from this stranger, I am a police. Well, at least something close to that.'' She kept staring at her without moving. 'Is she traumatized or something?' Jason grabbed the one of croissants and started to eat hoping that she will be encouraged. Happily the girl grabbed one to taste. She slowly put it to her mouth like she was afraid of its taste. She finished her croissant with small bites, stared at the table.

''Take yourself a cake, why don't you drink your hot chocolate? It must have cooled by now.'' The girl took her eyes off the table and turned to Jason. ''What is the problem? Just tell me. It will be okay.''

''I've... never eaten... such things before.'' These were the first words Jason heard from her. 'So she is not mute,'

''Such things? What have you been eating until today?'' It seemed like a safe topic so he continued.

''Soup... water.''

''Is it just soup? Girl, where are you coming from?'' He gave the hot chocolate to the girl and take his coffee. She took a sip.

''I was in...'' the girl hesitated, ''hospital.''

''Ah...'' Jason was starting to understand, 'Soup, never eaten such things; it makes sense now. Wait-!' A terrible idea popped up in Jason's mind. ''Do you have diabetes?''

The girl tilted her head to one side, thought for a few seconds, and shook her head. ''No... I do not have.'' Jason sighed in relief.

''What is your name? Where are your parents?'' He took a fork and started to feed the cake to the girl.

''I don't have parents. My name is Eve.''

''Eve huh? The pronunciation in this area is in the form of 'Ava' or 'Havva'. Which city did you come from? Are you from the other side of the sea?''

Eve glared him, ''I gave you my name but you did not give yours. It is rude.''

Jason smiled while looking her wiseacre face. ''Forgive me for my manners, young lady. It is Jason for your call.''

''Ja... Ja-son?'' Eve said in a strange accent.

''Jason, Chief Tarnell is waiting for you. Social services volunteer will be here for the girl in any minute.'' said officer Zhou appeared at the entrance.

''Ja-son?''

Jason nodded to Zhou. ''Listen, Eve. I have things that I have to attend to. Wait with officer Zhou.''

''Ja-son? Ja-son?'' Fear returned to her eyes, her eyes were like that when they met at the coast road. She clenched her hands in her lap.

''Don't worry. Someone will take you to the health examination and you will be back here.'' He caressed the girl's head. ''Finish your meal. I have to go.'' He left Eve with officer Zhou and headed up the stairs. He got the girl out of his mind. Now was the time to take care of the monsters.

Or he thought so. Farah Tarnell had other ideas. ''Infirmary. Go. Now. Oh- wait. First, tell me what happened to you. Then, you can go.'' Farah was not in her office, she was with other officers.

Jason opened to his mouth to say something, however the effect of the honesty talismans used in the interrogation rooms was too strong to make up something easily. Finally he could say, ''I got involved in a car accident.''

Farah did not let it go. ''Where? When?''

It was impossible to lie against direct questions. ''At the coast road. After midnight, around one o'clock.''

''We did not receive such a report. Did we, guys?''

''No, ma'am.''

''Didn't you think of being cleaned and being treated from one to nine o'clock into the bargain?'' She raised one eyebrow.

''Ah, Farah. Stop giving me hard time. We solved the problem between us as parties in car accident. After I left you yesterday, I couldn't even go home to be cleaned or treated.'' It was not a lie literally.

''Okay. Go, put yourself in the hands of the sweet nurse.''

However, nurse was not in infirmary as well. He decided to tidy up himself a bit at common restroom. When he saw the man in the mirror, he agreed with Farah. The bruising on one side of his face was probably from when he was hit on the back of his head and fell to the ground. He had under eye bags and his chest still hurt when he moved. He hit his head a second time when the beast man who jumped on him dropped him.

Jason sighed and locked the door. After washing and drying his hands thoroughly, he approached the mirror and touched his eye to remove contact lenses. When the contact lenses were removed, Jason boldly responded to the golden eyed monster staring at him in the mirror.