(A/N: First, some review responses

Natdrat00: Glad you like the story and trust me, I would LOVE some free time right now. On the snow comment, well, snow is okay in small doses, but when you get 3ft within 72 hours, it kind of throws a monkey wrench in your plans (i.e. school getting canceled for a week, hence why I have no free time)

Second, this chapter will be in three parts labeled A, B, and S. A and B will be actual story, while S (S for Special) will be an "Authors retrospective" on the first half of the story where I give my thoughts on how the story has progressed so far before entering the second half)

BIG BROTHER MAX

CHAPTER 25A: She's...Alive?

Seville-Miller Records; Marsha's POV

It's been two days since Ellie's been in the hospital and the entire lobby is full of gifts, cards, bears, flowers, and of all things, food. I know Eleanor's a cook in the making but how big do they think our refrigerator is? Ellie's not going to be able to eat most of this for at least a month, and it will have spoiled by then. But as Max said, at least we won't have to worry about dinner this week. Until then, all of it that needs to be chilled has been stored in freezers; the rest has been hidden from Samuel aka the Human Vacuum cleaner.

Anyway, moving through the lobby I take the elevator up to the top floor and head into Sam's office. Apparently he needs my help talking to the Australian Embassy. For some reason he thinks that getting a pure blood Aussie can persuade them better than a "rude American"; code for "Max will kick my ass if I screw this up" I'm sure.

I walk into the office, finding him already on the phone.

"What's going on mate?"

"I'm on hold. Grab a seat, will ya?" he says, pointing to the chair infront of his desk and putting the phone on speaker. I grab a seat on the desk instead, resting my right leg on the desk while leaving my left on the floor for balance. Ipush a few loose strands of hair away from face lean in to look at the computer screen. "So what's happened so far?"

"Ummm…"

I look down at him, obviously something's caught his attention. "Eyes up starshine" I point to my face and smile mischievously.

"Right, well, they're transferring me to that Jeffery guy from earlier. I need you talk to him while look through the papers again." Sam says, putting his hand atop the stack of folders to his right.

"Ummm, where did all that come from?"

"We got a lot of stuff from the Aussie's since the announcement. Of course they're soaking up the lime light as well." He says, showing me a news report of an Aussie politictian from my home town trumpeting the "glorius discovery of the parents of Australia's greatest entertainers".

"Why am I not surprised." I sigh and toss the paper to the side.

"Hey hey hey, let's keep the mess to a minimum okay?" Sam whines. Looking around his office, I doubt it's been cleaned since he started working here. This place is a mess. The only papers that seem to be in order are the ones about the Chipettes; and to that I'm not surprised. Max would kill Sam if he lost any of this information.

"Hello, Samuel?"

"This is he, good morning Mr. Werner" Sam says in proper tone all of a sudden. "I'm here with Marsha Manning, Matthew's Cousin." "Sit in the chair" he whispers and shoos me off the desk. I comply and grab the chair infront of the desk, swinging it around so I'm closer to the phone.

"Good morning Mr. Werner."

"Ah, Good morning Mrs. Manning. How is Matthew these days?"

"He could be better, but he's managing." I say. "We're calling about the person that handed you this information."

"Yes, Sam has informed me that believes that his step mother delivered this information, even though according to the evidence we were delivered, she's been dead for as long as the girls have been in America." He says in standard governmental tone; an annoying quality about politicians that I can't stand.

"That's the thing Mr. Werner" Sam starts, opening the folder." According to the document discussing Elizabeth Verner's demise, the information is extremely circumstantial. There wasn't much known about her death, correct?"

"That's correct. She seemed to of lived in isolation out of fear for the safety of her young girls."

"Safety?" I cut in. " Are you saying that someone wanted the girls dead?"

"Well, No." He's backpedaling, spineless political wanker. "We believe she feared that the girls may be attacked for being "different."

"You mean anthropomorphic?" Sam shoots, rolling his eyes at me about Werner.

"Well, yes. She apparently received threats on her life before, which is why she lived out in the Outback, secluded from society." Werner says.

"That still doesn't tell us what happened to her." I reply. Sam nods and grabs another paper from the folder and hands it to me. "According to this report from the Adelaide missing persons unit, there have been several sightings of Elizabeth Verner as late as April of this year, none of these sightings were investigated." I charge.

"Well, we've had these false leads before, you must understand that the country of Australia cannot devote all of their time to hunting down celeb's parents." He says frankly. It's like this man has no emotion at all and it's pissing me off. Without warning, I pick up the receiver and give this prick a piece of my mind.

"Listen to me you bloody pencil-pusher, my cousin has been working with YOU people for five years to put his family back together! Now I know you don't understand how it feels to be without at a mum and dad, but these girls do! All they want is to have the family they were promised: With parents that love them, BIOLOGICAL parents I mean, and a brother that will protect them from all harm! They have their brother, they can't have their daddy because he unfortunately actually is dead. But if their mum is alive, they have a bloody right to know about it! Are we understanding each other?!"

Sam's mouth hangs open in shock, and even Max's secretary had to stop and look in at me; huffing and puffing with a phone receiver to my ear. After a brief silence, Werner responds.

"I...m sorry to of upset you Mrs. Manning, I didn't mean to insinuate that we wouldn't assist."

I sigh and nod. "Let us know if you find anything." I hang up and flop back in the chair. "I guess I made an arse of myself, aye Sam?"

Sam shakes his head. "Not really, you said what I was I thinking to be honest." He looks up at Lisa and chuckles. "Come on in Lisa, everything's okay now."
"Umm, okay." She looks back out at someone then enters, closing the door behind her.

"Who were you looking at?" I ask as she straightens her glasses. She looks at me then says:

"I think the girl's mum is here…"

"What?!" Me and Sam shoot up out of our chairs.

"See for yourself." Lisa opens the door enough to get a hand out and motions for the woman to come here. When she steps in, all me and Sam can do is gasp. Inside of our office stands a woman in her mid 30s. Her Auburn colored hair draped down over shoulders, Her clothes remind me of an outback adventurer wife: a brown Bootlegger-style outback hat, a matching Duster jacket that goes down past her knees. The buttons on the jacket are undone, revealing her white Short sleeve V-neck shirt, with rhinestones along the collar in a double-helix formation, cargo shorts that stop just above the knee, and pair of soft-soled shoes. I examine her with my eyes and do a double take in my head. She looks as if Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor's bodies were mixed into one and aged into adult hood over night.

"E…E…."

"I'm sorry for taking so long to get here" She takes her hat off and smiles at us.

"Elizabeth Verner?!" Sam finally stutters out, holding a photograph up and comparing it with the woman's face.

"In the flesh. And you are…"

"I'm Sam and this is Marsha" Sam blurts and grabs the phone for support.

"Mrs. Verner…. What are you doing here?!" I ask. "Your supposed to be dead."

"It's a long story but I must get to the hospital and see my children." She says.

"Well… Max is on his way here so he can take us there but…What are you doing here?"

END CHAPTER

A/N: God I hate school some times. Here's the latest chapter in the series. Please Read and Review. Expect 25B around Spring break in two weeks for me when I have time to write.