Chapter 7 part 2

  Flashback:

  Five years ago.

  Laura is standing in front of her father, in their small kitchen. Her father, Eduardo Sr. still holds the letter addressed to her.

  “Papi, tell me…. Why do you not want me to do this? Help me understand, because they’re willing to help me pay for college? Something you always wanted me to do! This feels like the best career choice!” Laura declares her argument.

  “My child, this…, this is not a career… These are games! You’re just going to be playing games with the dregs and children! Tell me how that is a job!” Her father retaliates.

  “Papi, these teams have sponsors. They get a cut of the tickets sold at the pro league games. The championships even have prize pools. It’s the same as any other sports league! Times change… I understand that games were just games when you were my age, but that just isn’t the case anymore.” Laura explains.

  “I don’t need my daughter to explain to me how change works. Your mother and I fought our way here! Struggled when we got here! Day after day, year after year, and you want to take all of that to just.. play.. games?I just don’t know how to take that. How do I even explain that to the family back home?” Eduardo pleads.

  “Who cares what they think?!” Laura yells.

  “I do! They’re my – I mean our family!”

  “You used to tell me that my family will love you no matter what. So why do you care so much?” Laura asks.

  “This isn’t about our family, this is about you. You, throwing your life away to play games.. Then to not even talk to tell me about it.” Her farther states.

  “Because we knew you would react like this!” Laura laches out.

  “Oh.. because I am just so predictable. You still shouldn’t have tried to hide this from me, Laura.”

  At this time, tears begin to swell in both father and daughters’ eyes. For a moment, they both see the pain within each other. Then Laura gives in.

  “I’m sorry papi. I shouldn’t have kept it from you. You’re right. But isn’t this what you and mom sacrificed all that for? New opportunities for me. Avenues of life I wouldn’t have otherwise.”

  “Yes… It is. I just… want the best for you.”

  “I know you do, but you have to let me live my life.” Laura explains.

  “She’s right.”

  Both Laura and her father turn to see her mother at the other entrance to the kitchen. Her long brown hair flowing past her humbling smile, with her hands clenched together. At the sight of his wife, Eduardo breaks down.

  “I know I can’t know everything, my love. I just don’t want to make a mistake!                       ” Eduardo senior cries.

  Laura’s mom runs over and embraces her husband.

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  “It’s okay Mi’amor. You remember all the mistakes we made?” Laura’s mom reminds.

  “Of course.” Eduardo senior answers.

  “We have to let her make her own, and she will. But I don’t think this will be one of those mistakes. If we don’t fully know the situation, we have to trust that we raised a child that is smart enough to make her own decisions. But we will still be here if she needs us.” Laura’s mom states.

  Hearing this causes Laura to cry a little harder, although she’s trying to keep it to herself.

  “There’s something else, papi.” Laura chimes in.

  Her father raises his eyes from his wives’ arms, to look at his child.

  “With that letter, the team is willing to pay me an advance.” Laura says.

  “An advance for what?” Her father asks.

  “The procedure.” Laura says.

  Her father looks at his daughter dumbfounded.

  “For as long as I can remember, I felt like I was only half of myself. Like I could only be half of myself.” Laura reveals.

  “You’re talking about changing your sex.” Eduardo senior reveals.

  This completely takes Laura off guard. She immediately looks at her mom, wanting an explanation.

  “I’m sorry sweetie. There are some things I can’t keep from my husband. But hear him out.”

  “We discussed it, again and again for a long time. I may not understand this as well, but if this is something that you want, then it’s your body to do so with, as you will. Your mother and I will always love you.” Eduardo senior states.

  Laura stands there completely taken aback. She’s thought of dozens of ways this conversation could go, but she never even imagined this outcome. Her mom smiles at her and opens her other arm, welcoming Laura. Laura runs over and embraces her parents. The Sun shining through the window and on the warm family hug.

  “I was told you would probably change your name as well.” Her father brought up.

  “I am.” Laura answers.

  “Have you thought of possible names?”

  Laura looks at her father in his eyes.

  “Eduardo… junior.”

  Eduardo embraces his daughter, and soon to be son.

  END OF FLASHBACK.

  **

  Present day.

  Back in VBL. Eduardo dodges a combined attack from Nora and Jin, While Desmond attempts to sneak away.

  Desmond’s inner thoughts: I’m glad that surprise attack worked out. That quick scope was a gamble! I need to find a vantage point in order to prepare for phase 2 of our plan!

  As Nora and Eduardo trade blows, Jin spots Desmond trying to make his getaway and sprints toward him. As Desmond sees this, he quickly aims his sniper at Jin and pulls the trigger.

  “Wall!” Jin yells.

  The blue, checkered, wall appears just in time to block the sniper’s shot. As the sparks from the bullet scatter, Jin grabs the wall and flings it toward Desmond. The wall hits him square in the chest and sends him crashing into a nearby store front. The active wall rebounds in the air back to Jin, as he leaps up and grabs it.

  “Nora, get down!” Jin orders.

  Without hesitation Nora chooses to trust her teammate and ducks under Eduardo’s next attack. Eduardo is met by the wall sent flying by Jin, smacking him directly in the face. Nora looks up in time to seize the opportunity, slicing Eduardo upward across his chest, and sending him high into the air. Jin’s wall rebounds to him once again and as he distributes the momentum of the high-flying wall across his body, he spins backwards a few feet, to throw the wall once again.Eduardo, aware and angry after being hit by a wall, is able to sense the oncoming attack and easily deflects the wall . He sends it flying in the opposite direction and down to the ground floor of the mall. Nora, unaware and caught in the moment, leaps toward Eduardo once again, with him successfully deflecting her attack, grabbing her arms and throwing her to the side.

  Jin’s inner thoughts: He still has a fight in him. I’ll have to be ready for –

  “Now!” Eduardo screams.

  Before Nora and Jin can react Desmond fires another shot from his sniper rifle, hitting Jin directly in the face, sending him flying into another store front.

  Nora inner thoughts: Damn it! We were so occupied with Eduardo that we completely lost sight of Desmond. The white death has such a high damage output that Jin can’t afford to take another shot. Since Jin was just knocked away that just leaves me alone to fight these two. If I had to guess, Eduardo is slightly above half health.

  Nora looks back to see Desmond reloading his sniper. Eduardo stances up, towards Nora.

  Nora inner thoughts: Can I do this?