Days slipped into weeks and still nothing...nothing. Not Even Grady, his best man could find out anything about them. Grady had even gone as far as looking into their mail but all letters and packages were simply addressed to PK Investments. Just who were these people and what were they trying to hide? Day and night Jesep couldn't stop thinking about it. After a few days, he set up all his computers to monitor their coming and goings.

He'd check in on them throughout the day. He hoped to get a glimpse of Genoa, perhaps he could ride the elevator with her again but they didn't leave their fucking condo. They had several deliveries but they all went straight up to their condo. Each condo had its own electric dumbwaiters for small deliveries. Grady took down every delivery driver they came and went sending Jesep a full report everyday.

He'd look it over now as he ate dinner. Apparently they liked to eat out a lot, they also ordered a lot of desserts, and sweets. He found a few movie and game deliveries, there were also several books but overall various art supply companies seemed to deliver the most. Jesep looked into the places that delivered but none of them had any personal information. All accounts were set up to PK FUCKING INVESTMENTS.

To be fair...Jesep had a number of shell companies he used but. Jesep was also Jesep. He had his reasons, the kind of work he did could be rather sensitive...his privacy was vital to his career. He doubted it was the same for them, of course he wouldn't know because he knew nothing about them.

He couldn't finish his dinner feeling sick, he pushed it away and sat on his couch. He looked over several monitors that constantly watching their entry hall and the elevator. He rubbed his eyes... upset they had yet to make a single appearance since the day they're run into each other. He just wanted to see here again.

He knew he was acting so irrational, he didn't know this woman and she was...weird. This... acting like this was...so unlike him, to be so caught up in someone else. Maybe this was what upset him the most. That someone had stolen his attention. Yes! He didn't like distractions! He needed to focus and continue building his empire. He nodded to himself and got up from his couch.

He stormed up stairs to his office and got to work on his latest project, for hours he lost himself in calculations and formulas. He got a few hours of peace and even wrapped up the project a full week in advance. He sent everything off and then...she danced across his mind once more. He checked the monitors to see if there was any changes but once again there was nothing.

He paced around his condo and then decided to look over some emails, there were various jobs offers and responses to other inquiries he'd made. He took his time carefully going over everything. It took up a solid two hours, it was late when he finished but he still felt a little tense so he went for a late night run on his TredXV1000. He worked up a good sweat and then took a long hot shower.

He masturbated working out some frustration. After he finished, he realized he'd been doing that a lot lately. He considered getting a hotel room, maybe ordering up a few women to fully take care of his needs but decided against it. He pulled out a cigarette and stepped out on his balcony. He looked at the amazing view and took in the night. When he finished he laid down for a few hours but found he couldn't sleep, after a while he turned on the TV.

He watched the news and then flipped through the channels. He saw some sitcom that was having a house warming party. The neighbors were annoying as shit, touching everything, he'd never let strangers in his home in...a million years-. He nearly jumped out of bed, cackling to himself, "Of course...of course!"

He clasped his hands together coming up with a plan. He'd only been living in the building a few months. He could throw a house warning party! Yes, he'd invite EVERYONE in the building. It was true that this was a rather private building but he knew they talked...Harold had let it slip in the elevator...They knew of him moving in., someone hadn't lived here in quite some time. They had to be curious, asking themselves just who he was and what had he done to the place. He nodded to himself if it was one things people enjoyed it was free shit and getting to look at other people's shit.

He smiled to himself pulling out his phone. He contacted Grady, it was the middle of the night but he responded almost instantly. They spent the rest of the night working out the details. He picked out various restaurant, he knew she loved from watching her deliveries. He looked into music he wasn't sure what she was into. He did some research, on what twenty somethings were into these days. He looked at an aray of possibilities. Then he looked at performers, magic...jugging, card reading, he tried to think of what would make his party irresistible. He put together gift bags, free shit, free headphones, other things twenty somethings would like. He admittedly went a little overboard...

He spent the rest of the night designing the perfect invitation letter. Over the next two weeks, he sent out the invitations, had posters hung up all over the building and made sure one of them found its way into their dumbwaiter. There was no way...no way they would miss his invitation.

Of course, he wasn't a fool, he knew just because he invited them didn't mean they would come but even then it wouldn't be a complete waste. If all else failed he'd gut the other residents for information on them, they had to know something right. Either way he would stop until he found out who she was...

"GENOA!" called Harold.

Genoa pulled off her head phones thinking she'd heard her brother call her name. She listened for a second and heard him call out to her again, "GENOA!" She estimated it was his angry yell and not his danger yell. She sighed and paused her game

"WHAT!" she called back.

"COME HERE!" he shouted back.

"NO!" she shouted, "I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF A GAME! I'M ABOUT TO FIGHT THE BOSS!"

She waited for his response, when didn't give one she popped some gum in her mouth and put her headphone back on. She went back to solving puzzles and kicking some ass. A moment later, Harold stormed into her room and drop several packages on the floor. She paused her game and took her head phones off again.

"WHAT IS THIS!" demanded Harold.

Genoa looked at the packages and then scrambled up to one of them. She quickly looked it over and then smiled when she realized it was one of the packages she'd ordered. "Oooooo they came...they came!" said Genoa excitedly. She quickly started tearing the boxes and bags open, pulling out several dresses.

"Clothes..."said Harold, he sounded baffled, "Since when are you into clothes?"

"Since I'm looking to upgrade my image," she said. She quickly gathered up her new dresses and ran to her bathroom. She laid out all the dresses and nice and neat getting a better look at them, some of them looked like their online pictures but most defiantly did not. She debated which one she wanted to try first and decided to wear the most risque of the bunch, a skin tight black mini dress. It was the kind of dress that girls went clubbing in.

It took her a moment to slid it on, she was a little worried she misjudged her measurements as there wasn't a lot of fabric to it. Once she finally had it on, she thought it wasn't too short but when she looked at herself in the mirror, she saw how low it was in the front, it had a built in support bra and for the first time in her life she had real cleavage. Not accidental or moderate but...hello look at these cleavage. For nearly a minute she couldn't take her eyes of them. She didn't know why but she felt really good about that...she had assets! She could hold her own against that woman, she spun around in front of the mirror and then messing with her hair, maybe with some nylons, a black choker and some heels...she'd look really good...really different.

She ran back into her room to show Harold but was gone. She wondered through the condo until she found him in the kitchen making himself a sandwich. She stepped into the kitchen and said, "Well what do you think?"

Harold was just about to pick up his sandwich. He glanced at her, looking put out and then did a double take. He looked at her and then she watched his eyes drop and widen before he turned around and yelled, "WHAT IS THAT!"

"My new dress!"

"OH HO HO NO NO NO!" said Harold. She watched the back of his head move from side to side.

"What it's appropriate! I saw something like this on Deviant Debbies. Debbie M is the same age as me,"

"ONE! That….is a tv. show it's NOT REAL! TWO I doubt that woman is twenty-two and THREE I regret that I even know what you are talking about! Just please go take THAT thing off,"

"But I like it! I think it makes me look sexy,"

"UH...UHH….UHH," Genoa watched Harold sink to the floor and pretend to die, his back still turned to her.

"Fine, WHATEVER I'LL TAKE IT OF!" said Genoa she didn't know why but she was suddenly really mad, "Why couldn't you have been my sister! I have no one to show my pretty things to! I really mean it...I want to update my image! Like that woman that was here yesterday I want to be cool!"

"What woman?" asked Harold getting back on his feet.

"The woman you were all friendly with..."

"AH HA! You were suppose to be painting!" said Harold. He spun around, "I knew I locked that door" He looked at her again and acted like he'd gone blind covering his eyes before staggering back around again.

"So WHAT if I wanted to see who was at the door, it's my house too!"

Harold turned back around looking at her and for a moment the two were locked in a staring contest. His eyes started dropping again, after a second he turned grabbed his sandwhich and stormed out of the kitchen, "Just please change...put on a robe...or something!"

Genoa rushed after him"I show more skin in my bathing suit...your just mad cause I have breasts...twenty two year old woman are suppose to have breasts...HAROLD!"

"YOU ARE MY LITTLE SISTER...PLEASE DO YOU WANT TO SERIOUS MAKE ME BLIND...I CAN'T TAKE IT." He pretended to die again nearly dropping his sandwhich.

"OH SCREW YOU!" she said storming off.

She didn't know what she was expecting for him to call her pretty or some junk uhhh! She looked at herself in the mirror. Who was she kidding she didn't have anywhere to wear this...when was she ever going to go clubbing. Harold wouldn't even let her see who was at the door or go to the party tonight that was in the same building they lived, in mind you.

Of course,….if they went she'd want to investigate the elevator man further. She still hadn't ruled him out as the shadow man and going through his place would give her an edge in her investigation. This party invitation was like her own personal search warrant. She imagined herself sneaking through his two story condo, finding the evidence she needed to prove to Harold she wasn't disillusion...the shadow man did exist and they were all in danger.

After a few minutes she took her dress off and tried on another one she liked. It was a dark pink with black lace and light pink frills, it covered her chest and wen she put on a puffed underskirt it it fanned out some. She put on some bubble gun stalkings that came with it. She looked like she was going to a gothic tea party. She went on the search for Harold again sliding around the house until she found him in the second living room, watching sports on the big screen.

"What do you think of this?" she said a bit to heatedly.

Harold raised his hand over his eyes, "Is it the same dress!"

"No!" she said putting her hands on her hips.

"Is it better or worse then the first one,"

"Depends on your crappy opinion! I liked the first one but this is cute I guess,"

He dared to peak through his fingers and let out a sigh of relief, "Okay now that is nice. It's more...more you."

She jumped over the couch dropping down beside him she and put her hand in his bag of chips and took out a handful.. She pushed them into his dip and said "I am always myself, maybe I wanted to be someone different for a change,"

"We all want things," he said taking his dip away, "Like a sister who doesn't still my dip,"

"I'm serious," said Genoa, "I want to have more of a life,"

"You have a life!"

"Yeah but we never go out,"

"We go out,"

"Yeah but not anywhere cool,"

"Well where do you think is cool,"

"I don't...maybe going to a party!"

Harold rolled his eyes, "I see...like the "penthouse party! The one I said no to twenty times, just this morning,"

"But that was this morning and now it tis this evening," Genoa shrugged.

Harold sighed, "We're not going,"

"But I saw the invitation before you threw it out. They are having all our favorite foods and like music, card reading...and fire breathers or like desserts. Did you know they had a whole page in the invitation for desserts alone,"

"Genoa..." said Harold. He looked at her, seeing right through her, "He is not the shadow man!"

"I did not say he was, did I," said Genoa acting offended.

"I know you...you don't "party." You only want to go to that party so you can investigate him."

Genoa gasped once more like these accusations were absolutely outlandish...even though the thought had crossed her mind moments ago. "It doesn't hurt to know you're neighbors," she said sweetly.

"Really after seven years of living in the building, you suddenly care."

"Please. It's just...after the woman came over I realized it's been so long since we really socialized," said Genoa. "I just want to have a nice night out with people,"

"We talked about this...I wish...I wish we could..." Harold, he hung his head, "You're not like other people, Genoa. You know this. There is nothing wrong with being different but people don't always understand and I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"There is nothing you or anyone can do to keep me from getting hurt," said Genoa somberly.

"Ah...see right there," said Harold pointing at her. "I can't take you out, if you're gonna say that to people they will think I'm abusing you or something,"

"But your not my abuser… I am certain. I ruled you out years ago," said Genoa.

"Well thank you for that!" said Harold "NOW listen if you trust me.. you have to trust that I know what's best for you...for both of us,"

Genoa sighed and for a long while they sat in silence, "I'm not crazy you know...I...I-"

"I didn't say you were crazy...you're just not like other people...okay"

"I get that I'm not normal but these things I've seen that I know. Oh Harold, if you knew what was coming what I have been through all these lifetimes. I don't know how you or anyone could ever be normal again...there are forces out there powerful dark forces and-"

Harold rested his hand on her head and she knew he wanted her to stop. She went quiet and for a moment they just sat there. After a while Harold sighed and said "Genoa...what I'm trying to say is your just...fragile, a very unique but fragile individual. I agree given the things we've been through, it's only understandable. People aren't meant to be normal after the shit we've been through."

Genoa looked at him they were talking about two different things. He meant the accident she mean an eternity of agony. Harold put his arm around her pulling her in, he brought his bowl of dip back and she stuck her fingers in it pulling out some of the chip she'd lost from her hand full. She ate her hand full and then said "Alright…no party...I'll go change."

She pulled away and he pulled her back "Hey...hey...hey...I didn't say you had to change...let me order us up a couple of Sundays and we can have a mystery marathon or some shit."

"You hate those!"

"Okay we'll watch fashion shows since you want to be fashionable,"

"How about we get ice cream and watch cheesy horror movie,"

"Deal..."

"Deal..."

Harold put the bowl of dip on her lap and got up. He grabbed the bag of chip and handed it to her, "You can have that by the way...there is no way, I'm touching it after you put your fingers in it,"

"Serves you right for eating the last éclair."

Harold paused looking at her, "That was two years ago...You know what! I change my mind you are a crazy bitch!"

Genoa scowled, "Shut up and get my ice cream!"

Harold shook his head and walked out of the room. Now that she was alone, the shadow appeared moving across the walls back and forth, it seemed extra agitated today. Perhaps it wanted to go to the party. She ate a few chips and then spoke to it, "Shadow..."

It stopped moving about. "Promise me...when your master returns, you wont let him hurt my brother."

The shadow shrugged.

Genoa stood up from the couch. Though it had been years since she'd communicated with it, when she had, she'd taught it that raising its right hand meant yes and your left hand meant no. "Promise me you'll spare him and I'll go quietly,"

She raised her right hand for yes. The shadow was still for a moment but then raised it's hand yes.

Harold stepped into the room a moment later with the phone in his hand, "Did someone score?"
She looked at the TV with her hand still in the air, there were people kicking balls in the air. "I think, everyone was cheering," she lied.

"Fuck and I missed it," he said.

She looked to see the shadow was hiding once more.

"What does it matter," she said, putting her hand down. She sat back on the couch, "We're watching horror movies the rest of the night anyway,"

"Yeah yeah...what kind of ice cream do you want." said Harold

"Depends," said Genoa, "What kind have they got and do they have marshmallows!"