Chapter 40 Sophia's POV

I had another great night sleep. Two in a row was a new record for me. Sleeping all the way through without waking and I could only put it down to Chelle being in my bed with me. I wish she could be there every night. Whether it was the great sleep, or the wonderful weekend that I had just had, I woke up with such a feeling of elation. My life was turning out to be amazing.

Chelle had school today so she had to be up and ready quite early. Maria already had breakfast prepared. I sent Chelle off to school with a long passionate kiss. We wanted to immediately organise another time to meet, but Chelle said she needed a long chat with her mother before she could do that. She was going to call me that evening after she had sorted everything out.

Eve was off to visit her father today, Gem and Lisa still had lots of work to do, which left mum and me at the breakfast table relaxing.

“What are your plans for today?” mum asked me.

“We still haven't changed my schedule yet so this afternoon I have a singing lesson with Danica followed by my deportment and grace lesson. I figured this morning I would do a gym session and then some online lessons and some reading. Shall we meet at lunch time?”

“Yes. I will join you for the gym session. You make me feel positively lazy and after that pizza last night, I feel the need to burn some calories. I've got some scripts to read through then I will join you for lunch.” She paused to have another sip of her coffee, both hands wrapped around the mug like she was holding something precious. “I had an interesting conversation with Eve last night.” She looked up at me.

“Umm?” I said very intelligently, looking back at her.

“Do you know what you want to do with your life? I know you are only sixteen, or almost sixteen. Money really isn't an issue, so the question is, what do you want to do?”

I thought about it for a bit. “I don't know. As you know, I was into computers and websites, but that wasn't because I enjoyed it. It was a way to earn money, or more accurately it was a way for Katie, Jen's mum, to earn money and do something that she relished. All I know for certain is I don't want to do nothing.”

“Well, Eve said that she was impressed with your song writing and thought the song that we made in collaboration had a good chance of success. Your singing voice fit the song very nicely. I've also noticed that you have a very expressive face which is a fantastic asset in acting. I was thinking that you could try them both and see what you liked. We can follow Eve on her tour as a family and on my next movie you can come with me and see what is involved. Since most of your learning is now internet dependent which can be done anywhere, we can involve you in as much as you want. You don't need to come up with any answers. You've got plenty of time. I just wanted you to think about it.”

“Both sound like fun, but I don't know what is actually involved and the only way to find out is to follow those who do. I would love to follow you two around as long as I am not going to be in the way.”

Mum smiled at me. “You'll never be in the way. You'll just add to our joy.”

She certainly had given me a lot to think about. I tried to imagine myself as a rock star or an actress and just couldn't quite see it. I had really enjoyed working on the song with Chelle and she had lots more for us to work on. That could also be an excuse to bring Chelle further into my life. As far as acting went, I really didn't know what was involved. I had always thought becoming an actor or actress required huge amounts of hard work, effort, skill and luck. By having Laura as a parent I was probably going to have a short cut into the business, but that would only give me a chance, the rest would be up to me.

It did make me want to finish my educational requirements as quickly as possible, so that I could concentrate on the more fun activities. So that is what I was doing after lunch until it was time for my singing lesson.

Eve's POV

I was angry, hurt and generally pissed off. There was probably a good amount of disbelief and shock thrown in. When dad told me that Soph was not who I thought she was, I was surprised that he even knew about her. He came up with the preposterous idea that she was some kind of alien or a UE, unknown entity. I almost laughed in his face. Then he went through the evidence. Handwriting, recorded conversations with Dr Barn that didn't relate to reality, videos of Soph swimming along with school records which included her lack of swimming ability. Her complete personality change from being transgender with aggressive, almost overly masculine traits to what she was now. He also admitted that all high level military personnel were told that there was incontrovertible proof that UE's existed and went through the testimony of the others who were on that same bus journey. He showed pictures of disturbed debris where the bus was supposed to have fallen down and page following page of accounts saying there was no doubt, something had happened and Sophia was not Sophia.

When I could deny it no longer I felt betrayed. Then dad asked for my help to bring her in and I realised that Laura was going to be even more devastated. Laura really had her heart involved and after previous betrayals this was going to hit her so hard, I didn't even want to contemplate it. Nor could I deny dad's request, so we worked out a plan. I cancelled Danica for both of our singing lessons and then phoned Laura and told her that I had been held up and had cancelled my singing lesson but not Soph's. I had some news that I needed to share, so I was going to pick up everyone as soon as Soph went for her lesson and we would go to a cafe for me to explain. By everyone I meant Laura, Gem and Lisa. I figured asking Maria to join us might raise some red flags and she shouldn't be anywhere near the stage which was where Soph was going to have her lesson.

I didn't think I could face Soph without giving anything away so I waited just outside our estate until the time was right and turned up to pick everyone up as soon as Laura texted me that Soph had gone to her lesson.

Of course, as soon as Laura got in the car she started quizzing me to find out what was going on. I told her that I would reveal all when we got to the cafe which was about a fifteen minute drive. I thought, by then, it would all be over.

When we got to the cafe I chose a sofa to sit in. I wanted Laura in my arms when I told her. Nothing was going to make this any easier, but I wanted to be there for her as much as I could. I settled us together on the sofa.

“What is it?” Gem asked. “You are stressing me out.”

“Shall we get some drinks first?” I asked, trying to prolong the moment before I had to break Laura's world.

“Just tell us.” Laura said.

I sighed and held Laura tightly. “Soph is not who she says she is.”

Laura pulled away from me forcefully so that she could look me in the eyes. “What have you done!” She almost shouted.

Sophia's POV

I went to the stage where I expected to see Danica waiting for me, but the stage was empty. I figured that she was either running a bit late or had gone to use the rest room. So I sat on the edge of the stage kicking my feet, waiting.

After a few minutes, not enough to have really started thinking that something was wrong, I saw a large guy in a suit come in through the distant door. I immediately turned to look at the other exit which was behind and to the side of the stage as a dose of adrenaline kicked into my system. That doorway was only about four metres away from me and was filled with another large guy in a suit. I leapt off the stage to keep as far away from them both as possible, but there were no other exits. Trying to keep them both in view by whipping my head from side to side and backing towards the windows as they approached me. I know they were saying something, however, I was in a full blown panic by that stage and was only thinking of escape. They had both their hands out as if to grab me and I knew I had to get past them to get to the exit.

I used my almost forgotten rugby skills to dodge one guy by faking a left and going right with a hand off to stop him from getting me only to face a third guy coming out of the door way holding a gun towards me and firing. I felt this unbelievable pain in my chest as I collapsed to the floor, no more strength left in me, like a puppet with its strings cut.

Laura's POV

I was looking at Eve in horror. I called the limo to come and pick me up. He shouldn't have gone far so he should only be a few seconds. I needed to get back to Soph as quick as possible.

“You don't understand Laura. Honey. Dad has shown me the evidence, Soph has been replaced. I know this sounds crazy, but she is not Sophia.”

“I know that.” I started heading for the street so I could jump into the limo as soon as it arrived. Eve, Gem and Lisa followed me.

“What?” Eve said thoroughly confused.

“Richard became Dillan and Dillan became Sophia. We tried to tell you, but you laugh off anything supernatural.” The limo had arrived so I jumped in and told him to head home as quickly as possible. Eve, Gem and Lisa jumped in as well. “What did you do?” I asked her again. I couldn't help the anger in my voice.

“I, err... arranged for her to be picked up.”

“By who?” I asked Eve.

“Some of my father's men, I guess. I was more worried about you and how you would react to find out you had been betrayed. You should have told me.”

“Let me ask you this, Eve. What did it take to convince you? Would you have believed me if I had told you? Do you remember the movie, The Swap and how afterwards Soph talked about being changed on the bus and your reaction? Soph has had to cope with so much. She gets swapped from a boy to a girl and as she is coming to terms with that, is brutally attacked by Richard in her old body and wakes up to find her substitute parents have been killed. She is taken away by a relative she doesn't know to a country she is completely unfamiliar with. She finally is starting to get some stability in her life and you do this. Why didn't you speak to me first? She is my daughter, why didn't you ask me before you did anything? I do feel betrayed, by you.”

As we came closer to our driveway I saw an ambulance pulling out of our driveway and with a mothers instinct redirected the limo to follow the ambulance. I called Maria. It was difficult to understand since she was crying and speaking Spanish, but I was right, Soph was in the ambulance. I looked at Eve. “Please phone your father and find out what happened and make sure I am allowed access.”

Eve spoke on her phone. Most of her side of the conversation didn't make sense so I had to wait for her to finish before I could get any sense out of her.

“She resisted arrest.” Eve said

“You mean she ran away from large men?” I said with a sarcastic voice.

“She was hit with a taser in the chest. It, umm... stopped her heart. They performed CPR and eventually got it started again, but she has remained unconscious. There is talk about brain damage.” Eve said quietly.

“Oh God!” My anger evaporated as my heart screamed in agony and I broke down crying. Gem comforted me as I wouldn't let Eve touch me.