THIRD PERSON POV
Alec Killganon's House
Newfallow, Indiana[1]
"Wait—what? Dad, what are you saying?" Kayla's voice cracked as she shot up from the couch, her phone sliding off her lap.
"What does it sound like I'm saying, dammit?!" Alec's face was crimson, veins standing out along his temple.
He slammed his fist against the armrest hard enough to rattle the picture frames on the wall. "We're cut off! Done! Even this house, the damn cars—they're all his! Goddammit, we're lucky he still lets us live here!"
"Alec, stop it!" Jennifer snapped, stepping in front of Alicia as if to shield the little girl from her father's fury.
"You're scaring her!"
"M-mommy, i-is it true?" Alicia whimpered, fat tears rolling down her cheeks.
Her small hands clutched the hem of Jennifer's blouse, knuckles white.
"Is what true, honey?"
Jennifer's voice softened instantly as she crouched and scooped Alicia into her arms.
"Did Daddy really… abandon Kill Kill?" the child sobbed, burying her wet face against her mother's shoulder.
Jennifer hesitated—just long enough for Kayla to pounce.
"Yes. It's true." Kayla's glare could have cut glass. "Dad's three-for-three in life-ruining mistakes this year. First, disowning Killian. Second, tanking our income. And third?" She folded her arms. "Making everyone here hate him. Gotta hand it to you, Dad—consistency's definitely your strong suit. Well, right after being a Grade A certified Asswipe!"
Alec's head snapped toward her.
"YOU KNOW WHAT? FINE!" His voice exploded through the house, shaking Alicia into a new fit of terrified wailing. "YOU'RE TWENTY-FOUR YEARS OLD! YOU DON'T LIKE ME? WANNA BE SMART? THEN GET THE HELL OOOOOUUUUUUUTTTT!"
Kayla didn't flinch, but Jennifer did, her arms tightening around Alicia as if bracing for impact.
The toddler's sobs turned into panicked hiccups. Then—three sharp knocks at the front door.
The sound sliced through Alec's rage like cold steel. His chest heaved, his nostrils flaring. He blinked once, twice, as if waking from a trance.
"Shit…" he muttered, shame flickering briefly across his face.
With shoulders hunched, he stomped to the door and yanked it open.
No one was there. Just a black metal box sitting on the welcome mat, about the size of a shoebox.
A gold infinity symbol gleamed on the lid, liquid-like, as if dripping into an engraved well.
Along one edge was a fingerprint scanner, recessed and faintly glowing.
Alec bent to pick it up. "What the hell is this…?"
Jennifer, Kayla, and the younger kids crowded around, craning their necks.
The moment Alec's fingers touched the surface, the box spoke in a calm, feminine monotone:
"Alicia Killganon. Please place your left thumb against the scanner to confirm your identity."
Everyone froze. Then Alicia squirmed in her mother's arms, her fear momentarily forgotten.
"Me? Mommy, me!"
Jennifer hesitated, but the child's excitement was infectious.
With a shaky breath, she let Alicia press her tiny thumb to the scanner.
"Alicia Killganon. Identity confirmed. Rechecking for security reasons… Recheck complete.
I greet the Young Miss. Master Killian always speaks highly of you. My name is Eve. I am an experimental artificial intelligence created by Master Killian to assist you in your every endeavor. How may I help you now?"
Alicia's tears vanished as quickly as they'd come. Her face lit up. "Hi, Eve! I wanna talk to Killian!"
"Contacting Young Master Killian."
Before anyone could speak, the air in the living room shimmered like heat haze.
The cheap wallpaper peeled away, the sagging couch vanished, and in its place appeared a vast, high-tech gaming den.
A giant wall containing a single Smart TV bigger than a car was glowing in the dimness, its screen showing the video game Tekken8. LED rope lights traced the ceiling in intricate patterns.
Alec stumbled backward, his jaw slack. "How the hell…?"
Then Killian appeared—or at least, his likeness...
___________________________
KILLIAN'S POV
"Is that my adorable little sis, Li-Li? But... why are they're tears on your face" I say with a frown ignoring the others' stunned expressions.
"Kill Kill!" Alicia bounced on her toes, ignoring my latter question entirely. "Are we in your room right now?"
"Sort of." I gestured at the glowing panels around us.
"That box you're holding projects a real-time call. It's almost like you're really here, huh?"
Of course, it wasn't just a projection—I'd given the box the skill [Illusion].
But they don't need to know that...
"Yeah! It's awesome!" Alicia clapped. Then her lip trembled. "But… Kayla said Daddy disowned you… and you can't come home. I miss you."
I crouched down so my eyes met hers. "Li-Li? What do you mean you miss me? I just bought a house three streets over! If you want to see me, just ask Mom, then tell Eve to send a car."
Behind her, Alec's expression soured instantly. He knew exactly which neighborhood I meant—the Luxury Estates. Yeah, I bought it to flex. No point hiding it.
"Yaaay!" Alicia spun in place, giggling.
I let my gaze drift to Jennifer.
"And, Step- nope never mind. Jennifer… if you need a stable place for the kids, you're all welcome to stay at my new house as long as you want. Well—minus Alec."
Kayla, Kylie, Kaylee, and Laila all spoke in unison: "We'll go."
"I was talking to the ones who aren't adults yet," I said dryly. "But sure. Pack your bags. Five minutes."
The older girls scattered instantly. Ryan, Connor, Jack, the triplets, and Alicia stayed put, looking at Jennifer, who wore the expression of a woman standing on the edge of a cliff.
Finally, she exhaled and nodded. "Alec… I'm taking the triplets and Alicia to live with Killian. The kids need stability. This…" Her voice cracked. "This isn't stable. I'm sorry."
She turned to the little ones. "Go pack your bags, quickly."
When they were gone, it was just me and Alec, the illusion humming softly around us.
"You've been awfully quiet," I said, leaning lazily against the digital desk. "First time for everything. But that's probably normal since I'm most definitely gonna bang your smokin hot MILF wife, and your stepdaughters..."
"SHHHHHHUUUUUUTTTT UUUUUUPPPP!" Alec screamed, ripping at his own hair. Spit flew from his lips as he lunged for the box.
"Foreign entity detected. Defense mechanism activated," Eve intoned coolly.
A crackling arc of electricity burst from the box, slamming into Alec's chest.
He convulsed violently, froth bubbling from his mouth as the stench of urine and feces filled the air.
Thirty seconds later, a psychiatric response team in crisp uniforms stormed through the door—summoned by a call I'd placed hours earlier.
They wrestled Alec into restraints as he snarled and thrashed, looking more like a feral animal than a man.
Later that night, the footage would play on every major news channel in Indiana, and a special edition would find itself in Elias Killganon's hands.
But that's a story for another time...
[1] I made this place up. I think. My point is that I randomly thought of this. It isn't supposed to be a real place. Of it is, that's crazy lol...