Seeing Red by SecondGuess

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As John made his way back into camp, shaking his head to dislodge some water trapped in his right ear, he was assaulted with a high pitched squeal from where the kids were playing up around the bend. His Daddy Sense immediately told him that it was a happy shriek, and that True wasn’t off sulking somewhere in a puddle, but was otherwise engaged in something fun. Fun was good. Fun would buy him at least twenty minutes to catch a cat nap.

The second he rounded the bend, however, he found hid daughter barreling straight for him, presumably with Uly in pursuit.

“You can’t splash me if you can’t ca--” Catching sight of her father striding towards her, True stopped dead in her tracks with a look of total dread on her face.

A look that quickly turned to panic.

“Daddy?” She asked quietly, meekly questioning as he arrived at her side.

“What is it, Sport? What’s up?” He asked, hoping they had moved past their argument and subsequent tumble.

“Your…um...” True stammered, seemingly at a loss for words. She was just staring at him, dead in the face, pale as ashes. "I'm sorry, Daddy," she finished in a whisper.

“What is it, True? I know you’re sorry, Honey, I‘m not still mad at you.” With his gentle confession he took a step forward to embrace his daughter.

She backed up as though he was a monster, a look of violent dread spreading over her face.

“Yes you are, Daddy.” She warned him with trepidation. Without another word she turned and sprinted for their tent, passing Uly and the other befuddled crewmembers on the way.

“What the hell is goin’ on over here?” Danziger called out as he approached them. “Lonz? Hey, Walman! If you guys are watchin’ my kid, why is she actin’ like she’s seen a ghost?”

As he drew closer, he saw True wasn’t the only member of Eden Advance that was acting oddly. At the sight of him Cameron dunked his head under the water, and it seemed like he was considering not coming up for air. Walman quickly covered his mouth, but Alonzo and Uly burst out laughing almost instantly.

What the hell was going on?

“What’s so funny?” He asked, more than a little annoyed at their laughter. Every member of this damn group was on his last nerve.

“Oh my God…oh my God, I have never seen anything so amazing in my life.” Alonzo guffawed, bent double with laughter, leaning on Walman for support, who was already on his knees in hysterics. “Uly! Go get Julia!”

As Uly ran off excitedly, giggling like a chimpanzee, Danziger stormed over to the two men with his hands balled into fists.

“Okay, you shankin’ idiots, pull it together and tell me what the hell is goin’ on!” He demanded, running a hand angrily through his dripping hair. Walman flopped over onto his side, laughing so hard he could hardly breathe. “Damnit, Walman, this isn’t funny? What’s wrong with True, why's she actin' like she’s scared of me?”

“Oh my GOD!” Came a feminine shriek, And Danziger turned to see Julia, staring at him with a look of sheer astonishment.

“Julia, what they hell is wrong with all of you?” He asked exasperatedly, his frown deepening when she found herself unable to hold back her own laughter.

“You guys are so busted! Oh wow, this is priceless, this is…” she trailed off with a chortle, the sight of Alonzo and Walman clearly contagious.

“Who is? What are you talking about? Julia, please!” He begged, catching her by the arm. She didn't seem able to breathe at the moment, never mind talk.

“So what do we call you now, Chief?” Walman stammered giddily, “John Adair? Devon Danziger?”

“No..no..wait!” Alonzo panted, “DEVONZIGER!” He erupted, pounding his hand on the ground in satisfaction.

“You’re gonna want to go find a mirror, John.” Julia gasped unhelpfully, with obvious relish. “And then you’re gonna want to find Devon and get your stories straight.” Loosing it again, she stumbled over to collapse in a heap by the two men.

Stomping angrily towards his tent, not sure he even wanted to see what the mirror held in store, Danziger passed Bess lying out wet clothes on a large flat rock to dry overnight. She glanced up from her work and did a double take, but knew better that to speak as John raised a hand to silence her as he stormed past.

“Don’t. Even.” He ground out, biting back a curse at the inevitable sound of amusement that followed in his wake.

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