DNA

[Laverna]

Chapter one:
The life of the criminal wasn’t a Hollywood movie like the Sandiego family liked to present it to the media. Carmen Sandiego's only child knew to keep a solid reputation for staying out of reach of the law, as the world of thievery was considered merely a game of hide and seek since before she had a thought in her brain.

Carmen sighed deeply as she poured herself a mug full of almond milk, and her eyes never left the eager young woman who sat on the barstool.

“Mother, I swear on my life that I will destroy that painting.” Laverna’s smug remark felt like nails on a chalkboard to her mother’s conscience

“Laverna, I highly advise you to step back and allow one of our senior agents to handle this mission, as it contains sensitive material.” Her mother warned her daughter in their kitchen.

Laverna smirked, “I promise I will be discreet.”She was trying her hardest to beat her mother at this mental game of chess.

Carmen remained silent as she poured the powdered hot cocoa mix from Switzerland into the crimson mugs full of hot almond milk.

“Mom, allow me to restore your honor,” Laverna asked again, as if it were as simple as a child asking for a puppy for her birthday.

Carmen snapped “I’ve told you a billion times,”As she shoved the vegan hot cocoa to her child.

“But, we’re sandiegos, the word no doesn’t exist to us” Laverna rebutted.

“Mi Princesa, está caliente,” Carmen stated, and Laverna knew she didn’t mean the hot cocoa.

Laverna sipped her warm beverage, yet, her attention drifted to her boyfriend as he entered the room while covered in a mysteriously glowing serum, she quickly noted it was flamingo pink instead of radium green.

“Devlin, I told you not to contaminate common areas with your chemical warfare, Go back to your lab and clean up.” Carmen scolded the mad doctor who quickly retreated.

Laverna continued to enjoy her beverage,”Hmm, do you have any marshmallows?” she asked and Carmen shook her head no.

“whipped cream?, sprinkles? anything like caramel?” Laverna asked again, and Carmen shook her head no.


“Sorry, Kiddo, my men don’t like sugar.” Carmen laughed as she looked in the cupboards to discover edible glitter, Scooby snacks, and Goldfish crackers.

“Well, we have an odd selection,” she admitted as she presented them to her daughter, and Laverna snatched the goldfish crackers.


Carmen took a Scooby Snack out to inspect it. “I heard they’re cinnamon graham crackers,” Laverna explained as she nibbled on her cheddar snack.

Carmen pondered to herself “interesting,” before popping it into her mouth.

She popped one in Laverna’s mouth, and Laverna fell off the barstool.

Carmen frowned to herself, as her daughter didn’t even attempt to stand up. Laverna crossed her arms over her chest and stared up at her mother.

Carmen ordered her to get off the floor, yet her command was ignored as Laverna watched a gecko fall onto Carmen's head.

“Do you need Geico insurance?” Laverna laughed as Carmen wasn’t aware there was a gecko on her French braid.

“Hmm?” Carmen tilted her head, and she quickly felt the lizard on her neck. She picked the lizard off with her bare hands. “Oh, hello,” Carmen smirked as she watched the lizard trying to escape her.

Laverna sat up from her position on the sand colored tile floor, and she wrapped her arms around her knees in defeat, as she watched her mother walk outside; her mother was going to release the gecko into the backyard.

Eventually, she stood up and dusted herself off; she started to retreat into her bedroom, yet she didn’t sulk, whine, or throw a tantrum like a child.

“She dodged that conversation like she does when I ask about my father.” She whispered under her breath.

Her bedroom door opened easily, as she entered her room with a billion questions in her head.
She sat down on her bed with disappointment.
Laverna’s room was plain compared to her lineage, so she flopped into her cozy bed without hesitation.
The feather pillows and topper softened her fall into the soft mattress. She closed her eyes as the mental exhaustion of failing to defeat her mother in a game of mental gymnastics took its toll.
The miniature fan on her nightstand hummed loudly as her adrenaline crash gave way to sleep. The clock’s ticks were barely audible over the white noise the fan produced.

She was wearing Devlin's worn-out black Harvard hoodie, and a pair of ripped grey jeans, her cherry red Crocs had fallen off her feet in the rush to fall asleep.

While there was considerable chattering in the hallway, it didn’t disturb the sleeping fourteen-year-old heiress.

The house staff was busy gossiping about their infamous employer and the ragamuffin of a daughter. “Carmen needs to trim her hair, How can the girl see through those bangs?” The maids shared their discontent with Laverna's appearance.
Laverna heard none of this degrading exchange, as she was too exhausted for her curiosity to arouse her.
The warm autumn sun began to set, and golden light filled the manor in a beautiful display. Carmen concluded an important meeting; her face dropped its mystique as a look of exasperation overcame her.

 

[Laverna]

Chapter Two:

Devlin Crooks didn’t retire for the night; his laboratory was alive with the symphony of bubbling concoctions, beeping alarms, and the horrifying wail of the unknown.

His blue eyes were locked upon a cyan powder; his pupils were dilated from the toxic fumes polluting the air and his slender body shivered from anticipation of his latest scientific discovery.


His red hair was glued back with sweat from his Bunsen burner’s blue flame.

He didn’t dare to speak the gibberish thoughts; yet, his body language told his disillusions louder than his own attire.

He wasn’t dressed for the occasion; his grey cotton sweatpants, and his white tank top were a risky choice to layer under that pristine white labcoat.

“Devlin, what are you doing?” Carmen called from the doorway; her arms were crossed against her chest. A steady tapping of her heel joined the noise of the laboratory.

Devlin lied “Umm, I’m making a new paint pigment.” He turned the Bunsen burner off; he turned to face his boss with a sheepish expression.

“Kiddo, it’s two in the morning,” Carmen explained as she tugged on the edge of her coat’s sleeve.

“Alright, I will go to bed Mom,” he replied as he cleaned up his experiment; He carefully poured the cyan powder back into its glass vial.

“I’m not your mother,” Carmen grumbled as she left for her heist. Her departure wasn’t a performance; the door slammed shut with displeasure in Devlin’s lack of maturity.

He tidied up the counter, placed every piece of unused equipment back in its proper place, and hung his lab coat up on the back of the laboratory’s door. He rinsed off the dirty beakers, flasks, and pipettes, He threw away the sharps into the sharp container, he turned off the beeping alarms before he left the room.

He knew he needed to take a shower before retiring to his bed, and a dramatic sigh escaped his lips as he pulled out a clean pair of navy blue pajamas. “I almost invented a new color.” he mused as he walked into his shared bathroom.

His roommate Cain didn’t stir from the sound of the shower being used; The muscular boy was asleep in his top bunk, and his grey blanket was hanging off the edge of the bed.

The sound of the rain coming from the east slowly filled the room, yet Cain still slumbered as a thunderstorm crept into the early morning.

Devlin finally sprawled into the bottom bunk; and the handmade quilts were made by his grandmother. He pulled himself under the covers as thunder roared in the background. “You know, Laverna’s bed is better than mine.” he groaned as the firm innerspring mattress squeaked. He snuggled into a giant teddy bear; Cain won it in a hammer contest at the fair, Devlin doesn’t know why he was gifted the camouflaged patterned beast.

Cain’s blanket finally fell to the floor in a soft thud, yet the thirteen-year-old was still asleep, as his football-themed pajamas kept him warm.

Laverna awakened to discover someone had changed her clothes in her sleep. “Mom, really?” she explained as she looked down at her light pink pajamas as she was tucked under her expensive bedding

Her mint green eyes turned to her clock, “5’52 am.” she muttered under the breath as she wondered what time she fell asleep.

She silently rolled out of bed, her movements as sly as a fox. The weight landed on her ankle causing her to jolt. Yesterday, Laverna wanted to do ballet; and as a result sprained her ankle. Neither Devlin nor her mother had any clue of the injury.

The pale teenager changed into a black tailored hoodie over a red tartan mini skirt, she groaned in mild pain as she slipped into her black leather oxfords; she tied the red laces.

“It’s going to be an amazing day,” Laverna exclaimed as she observed her reflection in the silvery mirror. The smile slipped from her face; why was she lying to herself? She drowned herself in strawberry-scented perfume, threw her dark shoulder-length hair into two pigtails, and the red elastics surely weren't approved by her mother.

She grabbed her cherry colored smartphone and turned on some Kawaii lo-fi to try to perk herself up. “Mom mustn't know about my trauma,” Laverna whispered to herself, as she applied a clear mascara, which was followed by a clear lip oil.

She turned to look at the disarray of her bedding, and she fixed it as neatly as a five-star hotel, yet she didn’t feel satisfaction in her work. The music felt palatable to her nerves, as she continued to tidy up her bedroom. Her dirty clothes went into their hamper and she snuck out of her bedroom to find a source of caffeinated dopamine.

Even in the morning, the house wasn't quiet as a Doberman was walking around protecting his household; they passed each other without a word spoken as Laverna snuck into Devlin’s laboratory..

The lights were off, and the faint smell of formaldehyde and mercaptans clung in the air. The smell caused Laverna to heave, as she flicked the overhead light on. She didn't complain about the offensive order as she stepped down the concrete steps into the basement. She pushed past a secondary door leading into the hidden break room, Her frown still remained as she continued her pursuit.

She stopped in front of the mini fridge; her eyes gazed at the cute couple photo of her and Devlin in Eureka Springs, Arkansas standing in front of the Crescent Hotel. She took a deep breath before opening the door.

She swiped one of Devlin’s Monster Energy drinks, and she knew her mother wouldn't approve as she popped the tab. She didn't even taste it as she gulped it down.