The Watchers Book Two: The January Strain

F*** OFF, PERV

I’m your sister. Look at the photo. We have the same mother. She died. We also had an elder sister. She just died too.

Max

MY MUMS IN THE POLICE. SHE’LL PUT YOU IN PERV PRISON. YOU WONT LIKE IT. THEY BEAT UP THE NONCES.

Okay, sis. Here’s a PDF of my DNA profile. If your mum is in the police, get her to check it against yours.

Max

Okay. You blew my mind. Either we are identical twins or you somehow got hold of my DNA. In which case you’re definitely going to PERV PRISON.

Oh no I’m not, sweetie. If that blew your mind, try this. Here’s another PDF. Check it against your mum’s DNA. Then look at the attached photo.

Max

So you want me to believe that we are identical twins and our mums are identical twins. THIS IS A SCAM AND YOU’RE GOING TO JAIL.

Okay, sis. Here’s a video of me, no make-up, no tricks. Take off your tacky Goth-schlock-shock slap, look at the video and look in the mirror at the same time. Your locks aren’t as long and lovely as mine because you had a bad haircut and you use cheap black dye, whereas I have a top hairdresser and a daily hair care regime using only products from top salons. And your lips aren’t as luscious as mine because you don’t continuously pout seductively like I do. But if you can get past that we are obviously identical.

Your new sister, Max

So consider this, sis. Here’s some things I know about you which even the smartest Internet groomer wouldn’t be able to find out.

– Your birth name is some variant of Jane.

– Your mother’s birth name is some variant of Anne.

– You have weak lungs, since you were a kid. You’ve had thousands of tests but no one has ever looked you in the eyes and told you exactly what’s wrong.

Think about it Max

The video’s a fake – a good one though, I’m flattered you went to all the trouble. And you could have got all that information from the perv-internet. I know all about the Dark Web. Nice try, loser.

Time to give up now.

Okay, Dark Web me this. You can’t have kids and you’re going to die while you’re still in your teens. Me too. Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for both of us. If you’re such a top hacker, hack your own medical records. Face down your mum (who isn’t your birth mother, as the DNA shows). Face down the doctors.

Get them to tell you the truth. The actual truth for once. Everyone’s lied to you your whole life. The only person who is telling you the truth right now is me, your genetic identical.

Your big sister, Max

You cow. I find out I have a twin sister and the first thing you do is ruin my hopes for the future.

I’m sorry, Jaz, but at least I’ve never lied to you, and I never will.

Neither of us have a long life ahead. We need to meet and share what we have. I have other big things to tell you. If you are such a

good hacker you’ll be able to find me. Don’t tell anyone if you do. Don’t trust anyone, especially your so-called mother.

We got Max he’s okay. Stay at Sanctum will come there.

This is the last will and testament of me, Anya van Zandt.

I appoint Perdita Simmons as my sole executrix and trustee.

Account details and access codes for all my bank accounts are attached.

I direct my estate, including all monies, valuables, jewellery and property to be sold at the discretion of my executrix, the proceeds to be divided equally into four parts.

Two parts I bequeath to the only two people I have ever loved: my adopted child Maximilian van Zandt and my friend Perdita Simmons. One quarter of the proceeds I bequeath to the Sanctum, the only place I have ever loved, and one quarter to Charley Miller, newly orphaned through no fault of her own.

My collection of weapons I leave to Lucy Church, to be held in trust by my executrix until Lucy is eighteen, at which time she can decide whether to use them in the service of the mission to which Perdita and I have dedicated our lives, or to sell them and retain the proceeds.

The flash drives and hard drives stored in the same safe as this Will and the information contained in them, I leave to my adopted child’s younger sister, January Hart, on the condition that she uses them in the pursuit of the aforementioned mission and to help eliminate the threats to herself and her sister, Max. Yes, Max, if you are reading this, I did say sister. And if you are reading this, the only person stopping you from being the beautiful, feminine girl you truly are has gone. I hereby set you free.

My love to you all.

Signed

Anya van Zandt

Witnessed

Perdita Simmons

Bring Jaz to us or her friends are dead.

Not friends. Psycho killers. Shoot them before they shoot you.

Get taxi to Carla’s old house. Now. Bring Maxie.

Come in quietly alone come to our room whatever time.