Please do NOT post here on the story thread. Not only does it annoy me and my readers, but it annoys the forum moderators when I request the delete the post. Thank you. Chapter One Nothing but dark, mossy tree trunks all around. Diamond dewdrops cling to emerald leaves, whispering in a satin wind. A thin, ragged path twist between trees and around boulders, which I follow carefully. Stepping around a wide tree coated in dark green moss, I catch a glimpse of a dark figure turning a corner ahead of you. Something draws me to this mysterious figure, and without thinking, I break into a run and give chase. Darting around boulders and hurtling past trees, the figure seems to always be just out of reach. Silent as a shadow, they slip between the undergrowth without so much as a rustle. I narrow my eyes and speed up, my heart slamming against my ribcage like a hummingbird trying to escape. Air rips through my lungs like fire, tearing my chest apart. Feet thudding against the ground, I know deep down I can't continue this way much longer. As if sensing my pain, the figure stops, turning abruptly to face me. Somehow, I manage to stop without crashing into the stranger. A dark oval face peers out from their curled-mocha hair. Almond-shaped brown eyes threaten to suck me into their liquid chocolate depths, full lips curled into a small smile. I hunch over, grabbing the monstrous cramp in my side, and I realize the girl isn't even breathing hard. When I catch my breath, I stand up and look at her more closely. A green tank top covers her slim torso, and brown leggings hide her legs. I notice the knife sheath hung on her right hip, and come to the realization the girl is pointing a wickedly sharp arrow strung on a bow in my face. Surprised, I take a few steps back, causing a few peals of bell-like laughter to fall from the girl's lips. The arrow has a tip that shimmers in the sunlight with an odd rainbow sheen. The shaft is simple wood, ending in swan-feather fletching. The bow, pulled taunt, is made of the same dark wood that is the arrow's shaft. "A little slow, are you?" The girl says in a soft, velvety voice. She lets go of the arrow, twitching it ever so slightly to the side, just enough so I let out a cry and close my eyes. As I wait for the impact of the sharp arrow, I realize it's been enough time that the arrow should've hit me by now. I turn and see it embedded in a tree behind me. Another bell-like laugh rings in the air. "Twitchy, too." She comments, crossing over to the arrow in two confident strides. "So, why were you stalking me?" She asks me, eyes glittering. I open my mouth to answer, but she holds up a hand. "It doesn't matter. Anyway, come over here." Warily, I follow, acutely aware of the fact her slender fingers are resting on the hilt of her dagger, ready to pull it out at any sign of trouble. She stops by a large tree, devoid of moss, but otherwise unremarkable. Rapping her knuckles on the trunk about halfway up, she calls out to nobody in particular, "Hey Chase, it's me." The trunk of the tree ripples, the bark texture slowly softening into the smoothness of a door, a knob rounding out and turning to brass. As I stare, openmouthed, the girl smirks at me. "Smart matter," She announces, "and my name's Jenna, by the way." The door opens to show a little kid with the complete opposite of Jenna's look; sandy hair, tanned skin with heaps of freckles, and bright aqua-blue eyes. "Hi, I'm Chase!" He says brightly. I turn back to Jenna when I feel a hand on my arm. "Excuse me." She says tiredly, and ducks under the low doorway and drops into a hole that I failed to notice before. I stand there dumbly for a few seconds. "You coming?" Jenna's voice sounds up through the hole, sounding rather annoyed. Cautiously, I sit on the edge of the hole, not wanting to slip myself in, as the so-called smart matter changes texture and color back to the bark of the tree again behind me. "Just jump!" Jenna says, now sounding a little more than irritated. With a deep breath, I let go of the edge and lean forward. Bad idea. I slam my head into the opposite edge of the hole. I let out a pained cry and blackness obscures my vision. {Yes, Yes, I know it's a wall of text. In the later chapters, like 10 and up, it's better. I promise. }
Chapter Two As I slowly drift towards consciousness, I begin to hear the muffled sound of someone talking. I groan, a sharp needle of pain stabbing my forehead, drilling into my brain. I slowly open my eyes, blurry vision clearing to reveal Jenna standing over me, smirking. "Nice job, buddy," She says, "you're gonna have a pretty big shiner in the morning." With a laugh, she turns away and starts to walk away. Looking over her shoulder, she points to a chair next to the bed where I'm lying, covered by a light blanket. "In case you want to get dressed, your clothes are there." I felt the tips of my ears redden. She had seen me naked? Jenna turned and walked away with the parting comment of, "Don't worry, Jason. I wasn't the one that undressed you." With a quiet sigh of relief, I looked around and took in my surroundings. Compacted dirt floor and walls, and a ceiling that looked like it was made out of roots. Maybe it was, since I am under a forest, after all. The closely weaved roots didn't leave much room for dirt to fall through. The door on the left wall of the room is shut, since Jenna left. I propped myself up on my elbows, another jab of white-hot pain shooting through my skull. Tentatively, I lift a hand up and touch my forehead. I feel a thick layer of gauze wrapped around my head. As slowly as humanly possible, I roll over and swing my legs over the edge of the bed. With shaking fingers, I grab my t-shirt and jeans and pull them on, relieved to see I was still in my boxers. A rap on the door made me jump. "You all done changing, Jason?" Jenna's voice came through the door. I crossed the room in three steps and opened the door. "Hey." She said. She had changed her clothes - now she was wearing a cute black T-Shirt with the words 'Oppidum Pecularis' on it, and skinny jeans. I smiled a bit, not quite sure how to respond. "Do you ever talk?" She grinned. "You haven't said one word." I sighed quietly. "I do talk...just not often." I replied. "It's a miracle!" She cried sarcastically. "Anyways, Jason, come this way. I've got something to show you." She turned and walked away down a long hallway of the same build as the room I was in. "Hey slowpoke, you coming?" Jenna called playfully. I shook myself out of my thoughts and started after her, stopping at a large wooden doorway with a brass knob and keyhole. "Welcome," she said, "To Oppidum Pecularis." She swung the door open to reveal a huge city, full of tall buildings made of a grey, iridescent material, and in one area, row upon row of houses, each one unique. "Whoa...." Is all I managed to say, taking in the packed-dirt roads full of people walking and running, the huge skyscrapers with hundreds of shiny windows, and houses with their own creative flairs. My eyes landed on one house that was the shape of a shoe. "Let me guess, the old lady that lived in a shoe?" I joked, pointing to the house, a smile spreading across my face. She laughed, a bell-like chime that set my heart fluttering. Pointing to a round house with odd poles sticking out of the top, she grinned. "Someone must really like cake..." She said, turning to the left. "How about I take you on a tour of my humble town?" I nodded, still too awestruck to respond. "Let's go, Jason!" She shouted, jumping over the edge of the little ledge we were on. "Jenna!" I cried, rushing to the edge. She stood on the ground, waving up at me. "C'mon down!" She yelled. "It's totally safe!" Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and stepped into nothing. {Again, I apologize for the wall of text!}
{After long last, I've gotten around to posting the rest of Oppidum. I have Chapter Fifteen in the works at the moment, hoping to finish by September.} Chapter Three The air wrenched at my eyes, tearing them open. An exhilarated cry dropped from my lips, whipped away almost instantly by the rushing air. Suddenly, I landed on something soft and pillowy, slowly sinking through it like molasses. Soon I was back on my feet beside a grinning Jenna. "Told you so." She smirked, turning to a thin, greasy man wearing dingy overalls. "Hey, you. Two hoverboards, two chips." He nodded briefly and disappeared into a small wooden shack embedded in the cliffside. He struggled out, carrying two huge pieces of what looked like aluminum, but duller. Seeing my confused expression, Jenna gave me a slab. "Hoverboard." She said. It was much lighter than expected, the layer on the top a grippy rubber. The man returned and handed Jenna something, mumbling a few words before retreating to the inside of his shack. "Hey Jason, you take this." She tossed me a band of greyish-white plastic, indicating to put it on my arm. Sliding down over my arm, it nestled just past my wrist, tightening to fit. A small chip had been clipped in, and was blinking a light green. "Hop on." Jenna said from the air above me. I stepped onto the board and heard it whirring to life under my feet. Tendrils, the same color as the bracelet, sprouted out and wrapped firmly around my ankles and feet, securing them in place. I must have made a noise, because Jenna laughed and landed next to me. Grabbing my hands gently, she guided my body into position and quickly told me the controls to deactivate the board. "Let's go!" She said, rising into the air. The board jumped up a couple of inches and wobbled for a second, before steadying itself and shooting after Jenna's board.
Chapter Four {oh look my kinks are showing oh well} It was exhilarating. My eyes were wide open, unblinking, drinking in the buildings and people shooting by. Hair whipping back from my face, I settled into a half-crouch I learned from snowboarding. Before long I was whipping through turns, shooting and banking in front of Jenna, cutting her off and sending huge puffs of wind in her face. "Hey!" She called, "No fair! You weren't supposed to know how to board!" She grinned, shooting past me. "Game on, Jason." With deft flicks of the board, she banked sharp turns, kicking up drafts of air that I easily shot through. In a sudden motion, Jenna pulled up the front of the board, stopping, and I did the same. She held a finger to hear ear and muttered something unintelligible. "What is it?" I said, worried something went wrong. "Nothing." She said, kicking her board into motion. "Follow me." I shot after her, weaving through narrow streets, nearly sideways on the turns. "In here," she called, dropping into a building shaped like a huge tree. Jenna twisted a knob on her bracelet, the tendrils of the board retracting instantly. I did the same, and following her example, set the board into a small platform, which then sank into the wall and disappeared. "This way." She stepped into a small, brightly lit pod-type area, whose doors then shut and it started to rise. "Whoa!" I exclaimed, nearly falling on Jenna, as the pod shot sideways then up once more, settling to a stop with a gentle ding. "Follow me, and don't touch anything." She said quietly, striding down a dim hallway to rap on a door. "Boss? I have the kid." I opened my mouth to protest, but shut it quickly when I caught Jenna's look. "Enter," came a silky voice. I felt my mind wipe itself blank, a clear, serene peace spreading itself along my body after a second of terror. I wanted to help this person, do whatever they told me. I smiled faintly, eyes unfocused. "Let's go." I was barely aware of Jenna gripping my arm and yanking me inside a dark room. "Take a seat," came the voice again. Before I had a moment to think, I found my body moving to settle into a chair. "Boss, this is the one." I heard Jenna from far away. "Good, good, good." The lovely voice said, and I felt my smile spread wider. I had pleased them! I was so happy, and I decided then and there to never hurt that voice. "So, Jason, where are you from?" My mouth moved of its own accord, blurting out. "New York," before I could stop it. I tried to think why I would say that to a complete stranger, but I was incapable of even the simplest thought. I was here to server the voice, and not to ask questions. Oh, what a lovely voice. I wanted to give everything I had to it, to pledge my love for it. "You look tired, Jason, why don't you rest for a bit?" I heard the voice as if through a pillow, and before I could say anything, my mind shut me off into the dusky void of sleep.
Chapter Five {Oh look more of my kinks are showing. Whee.} "Uuhhhhhgggggg......." I groaned, my voice raspy and thick. I slowly opened my eyes, feeling like my body was made of molasses. A face came into focus above me, pale with long, silky black hair, sharp ice-blue eyes twinkling. "Ach!" I yelped, scrambling away from the girl. She laughed. "It's okay, I won't hurt you," she said, "I'm Kat." Something in her voice was familiar, but I couldn't quite place it. "Do you feel alright?" When she asks, I realize my head is throbbing. I groan and sink back into the bed, my stomach twisting itself into knots. With a smile, she pulled the light blanket back up to my chin. "Sleep tight, Jason. You need rest." I see her reach around and fiddle with something out of my view, and I open my mouth to protest. Or, at least, I tried to. My muscles started to feel like they were wet noodles, and my limbs felt heavy as lead. I tried to fight off the sweet, black emptiness that called my name and beckoned me, managing to hover just on the edge of consciousness. "Boss?" I heard Jenna's voice say. "Yes, Jenna?" The strange voice I heard sent shivers running from the base of my neck down my spine. I knew that voice! Struggling to stay awake, I felt my mouth pull into a smile. "He's the one." Jenna said, sounding proud. The other voice makes a pleased noise. "He's a fighter, that one." I felt icy fingertips brush my cheek, the skin they touched tingling. Soft clicks sound on the verge of my awareness, and I dimly wonder what that could be. Head spinning, I felt a twinge in my arm, then I felt like liquid fire was running through my veins. Suddenly able to move, I scream, arching my back, only to be restrained by thick straps. I try to open my eyes, but they feel firmly glued down. The fire spreads from my arm, into my chest, pouring down my legs, engulfing me in searing pain. Creeping up my neck, I find blackness threatening my thoughts. A wordless scream erupts from my mouth as the fire reaches my mind and I spasm, unable to control my body any more. Through the haze of pain, I hear a distant voice. "Sleep well, my little fighter, for tomorrow is a big day." Soothing emptiness fills my head, and I gratefully sink into a deep sleep.
Chapter Six 'Begin system start-up.' 'System check initiate.' 'All systems go. Run system.' Strange little whirring noises filled my head, a tinny, robotic voice echoing as if in a large, empty room. A quiet click sounds, followed by more whirrs, and I feel my eyes push open, then I am raised into a sitting position, my legs automatically swinging over the edge of the hard metal table I was laying on. I feel odd, as if I am watching my life occur in front of me on a large TV, and I'm sitting in a chair watching. Experimentally, I try and twitch a finger, but I feel encased in iron; I can't do much more than move my eyes, I can't even blink. "Jason?" Jenna walks up next to me, holding a clipboard an pen. "How do you feel?" 'System retract. Subject assume control.' The TV starts to almost draw me forward, and I feel my body slump forward as warmth floods my system, and Jenna steps forward and catches me. "You'll have to learn how to take control from the nanoprocessors." She says, making a note on her clipboard. "Nanoprocessors?" I mutter, utterly confused. With a smile, Jenna pulls a small white device out of her pocket and clicks a button on it. 'System override.' My body is suddenly rock-hard, and in a head-spinning second, I'm back behind that TV, watching through a screen. This time, however, I feel forcefully held down, like straps are binding me to the chair. Stiffly, I can barely feel myself stand up, and in almost robotic movements, I walk around the room, my gait smoothing out after a few steps into a natural movement. "Jason, you'll become more used to the nanoprocessors taking control in time." She smiles and stays just on the edge of my vision. "Are you ready?" Jenna holds up the small remote-type object and clicks a different button. 'System retract. Subject assume control.' I recognize the words echoing inside my head, and I prepare to gain control of myself. This time, I slide back into control with ease, continuing mid-step, flawless. "Good job, Jason!" Jenna grins and presses a few buttons, then the tinny voice echoes in my ear. 'System reward. Initiate momentary control.' I feel my body go rigid a second before a wave of pure pleasure surges along my body, and I'm swept away. Head spinning, all of my nerves seem to be on fire, flooding my mind in pure ecstasy. The sweetest taste fills my mouth, and I feel what seems to be the softest material brushing against my skin, my entire body tingling. Pleasant music fills my ears, then suddenly, it's all gone. I find myself on hands and knees, panting, eyes wide and staring at Jenna's navy blue sneakers. As my breathing slows, I look up, meeting her eyes. She laughs, holding out a hand to help me up. "You like that, Jason?" She says, laughing at my red face and my hurried nod, the bell-like chimes bringing a blush to my already-heated cheeks. On silent feet, a small figure steps next to Jenna. A swirling black coat disguises her form, but it's easy to tell the figure is a girl. My brain is still frazzled from the so-called nanoprocessors, and from inside the shadows of the hood, I can barely see ruby-red lips curled up into a smile, and the faint glimmer of two stunning violet eyes. With a small noise of approval, the girl kneels down and puts her ruby lips against my ear, raven-black hair brushing my cheek like a feather. "Jason..." She breaths into my ear, and I feel myself shiver, my mind automatically focusing on only what this strange figure says, and nothing else. "You are mine. Mine and nobody else's. Do you understand? Nod if you do." Comes the next whisper, and before I can think, I nod once, short but noticeable. "Good. First, I have complete control over you. Please me, and I can make you feel better than you've ever felt, ten times what that fool Jenna can ever do. Disappoint me, and I can make you hurt like you can't even fathom. Understand?" Another quick nod. "Wonderful. Second, you are to follow my commands, only my commands, and instantly. You are to do exactly as I tell you, and if you refuse to do it, either I make you hurt, or the tiny robots implanted all throughout your body will take control of you and make you follow my orders." I breathe in sharply at that bit of information, and The pieces all click. The burning pain. No control of my body. The whirring and clicking, the tin voice. It was all too clear.
Chapter Seven Reading my expression, the figure makes another soft noise of approval. "Third, you will call me Ma'am or Mistress at all times," she said, her voice losing its breathy quality. "You are my slave, in mind and body, and you will never escape me," the figure takes my ear in her sharp teeth and bites down hard, laughing as I yelp in pain. "Ever." The final word echoes in my brain, and I feel a tiny twinge, as if I had sworn an oath. Silent, she stands up, alabaster hands pulling her hood down lower. "Jenna, take care of him. I do not want the One going astray. I will have him in my control." A dark, menacing laugh rolls from her mouth, and she turns to face me again, dark eyes glittering from the shadowy depths of her hood. "Jason?" She says softly, but with an underlying edge. "Yes?" I reply just as quietly. I hear a quiet click and red-hot pain floods my body, and I spasm on the floor for what feels like hours, tears pouring down my face as I try to swat away millions of tiny whips, but to no avail, the invisible lashes leaving no mark but inflicting terrible, mind-wrenching pain. Then, as suddenly as it all came, the pain disappeared, and I lay panting on the ground. No physical pain remained, only the searing memory of it. A sharp kick in the ribs brought me scrambling up to my feet, my head level with the cloaked figure's. A deep frown twisted her mouth, and even though I couldn't see her eyes, I was sure they were glaring daggers at me. "Yes, Ma'am." She snapped, pulling the same device Jenna had from an invisible pocket. Her thumb moved as if to click a button and I flinched. "Yes, Ma'am?" I said softly, and the frown turned into a luscious smile. "Your first order is to find this girl." I feel something small and sharp pressed into my palm, and when I blink and look down at it, I see a small black square. When I look up, the figure is gone. Jenna gently guides me to the table and helps me sit down. "Jason..." She sighs. "You've been...altered. She - the girl you just saw - had her best doctors turn you into, well, half-robot, half-boy. Here, give me your hand." I hold out my hand and she pulls the chip from me, spreading my fingers out and digging a fingernail into the loose skin between my forefinger and my thumb, and with a tiny click, a small compartment pops open, and she pushes the chip into place and seals the compartment again. Whirrs and clicks fill my head, and the tinny voice speaks directly into my ear. 'Criminal file; Harlequin Jones. Five foot six inches, black hair, pale skin, yellow eyes.' A picture of an pale girl blazes in my mind. She's wearing tight black leggings and a skintight black shirt, which ends in straps, showing quite a bit of cleavage. Her hair, which is cut in a harsh line below her ear on one side and hangs below her breast on the other, is black with harsh streaks of red. Her eyes are almond-shaped and elegant, long lashes curling above shocking yellow eyes that seem to stab deep into me. Drawing in a sharp breath, I blink the picture away and clench my fists. 'Skilled thief, accused on multiple counts of murder. Currently on the run from authority, there is a five thousand Trex bounty on her head. Natural hoverboarder, known to be hiding in the Grunge.' "Trex? Grunge?" I say out loud, brow furrowed. "Our money system, the not-so nice part of Oppidum, respectively." Jenna says, grinning. "Get me a hoverboard and a map." I say, standing up and cracking my knuckles. With a chuckle, Jenna stood up as well and mock curtsied. "Yes sir, as you wish, sir." She said sarcastically, walking out of the room. I followed her and we went down a few flights of stairs, then we emerged into the same room I had come in, and I found my board and what Jenna called my 'hoverchip' and clicked it into the soft-plastic bracelet, the tendrils of smart matter twining around my legs. "Jason!" Jenna said, holding something out to me. "Take this, clip it into your other palm. You'll know the streets like you grew up here." I popped open my left palm's compartment and slipped the chip in, and a detailed map of the city clicked into my brain, memorized as if I'd grown up in Oppidum Pecularis. With a swoosh of air, I jetted out the door and into open air.
Chapter Eight "Hey Boss!" "What's up, kid?" "The One. He came down from Outside three days ago." "Hm. She's probably already got him snared in her net." "Affirmative, Boss. She already got him Injected." "This isn't good. Get on it right away." "Gotcha, Boss. Can I have some backup? This might be a rough catch." "Aye. Tell Sarge to gather her troops." "Thanks, Boss. We'll have the One before you know it." "Oh, kid?" "Mhm?" "One last thing." "Ma'am?" "Tell Black all systems go." "I will, Boss." "Good. You may go."
Chapter Nine I hardly payed any attention to the cool air rushing over my face as I kept low in the street, zooming through narrow alleyways and down narrow streets, the buildings I passed slowly becoming more and more decrepit, until more buildings were rubble than standing. "Welcome to the Grunge. Enjoy your stay and please, don't feed the rats." I chuckled, slowly coming to terms with the fact I wasn't fully human anymore. Accessing the data about Harlequin as I rode, I read about how she was almost killed in a fire when she was four, a rare occurrence in Oppidum. The fire killed her parents, and she nursed her little brother, Chase, back to health. Could it be the same Chase that Jenna seemed to know so well, the kid with the sandy hair and freckles? You never knew in this crazy town. With a sigh of frustration, I let the cool air run its silky, twisting fingers through my hair, searching for anything that seemed out of place. When I landed to scarf down some bread I had found in the bottom compartment of the hoverboard, I heard a quiet scuffing sound that could only be one thing, and it was a sound I knew well. Just in time, I rolled out of the way as a small metallic dart stuck into the wall behind me. I stood up sharply, crouching and pushing my legs out in an astoundingly high jump, landing on the roof of a building, running after the small figure clad in black. My board, which had followed the chip's signal, hovered at my side, and I jumped on, speeding up to the black-clothed figure. With a dull thunk, I slammed the board into their head and the crumpled where they stood. I jumped off my board and pulled off their black mask, a sudden, stinging pain shooting through my shoulder. I slumped next to the kid, my eyes half-closing, my muscles like jelly. Dimly I was aware of voices near my head, and it seemed like two people were crouched on either side of me. "He's awake, Sarge, be careful with what you say." Came the first voice, and I recognized it in an instant. So it was that little kid who opened the smart-matter door for Jenna and I! The second voice replied, and surprisingly, this 'Sarge' character was a girl. "Gotcha, Chase. We'd better get him back to the Boss before her," she spits 'her' out like venom, "ninnies come running after their lost prize." I could almost hear the sarcasm dripping off her voice, and I felt myself get rolled onto my back, and I was laying on something hard and unforgiving. "Get up, jackass." A muffled thump and groan came from the girl I had knocked down, and her voice came out angrily. "You didn't have to kick me." I heard whirring near my head, and I could feel myself moving through the air. This was exactly what I needed, some way into Harlequin's hiding place. "Sleep tight, Jason." Came Sarge's muffled voice, and I felt another stinging pain, this time in my neck. 'System error detected. Commence system restart.'
Chapter Ten "Boss." "Yes, Chase?" "We got the kid." "Good job. Have you figured out a way to undo her Speaking? Plus the nanos?" "Not yet, Boss, but we're close. I can tell." "Hurry up and find one, kid, we're running a tight schedule here." "Aye, Boss. We will." "Oh, and Chase?" "Yeah?" "Nice job. Remind me I owe you one." "Thanks, Boss." "My pleasure."
Chapter Eleven 'System check commencing.' 'All systems go. Error not detected.' 'Run system.' I slowly began to feel the whirrs of the nanos pulling me back into consciousness. I struggled to open my eyes, but I failed even the smallest twitch of an eyelid. I heard someone start to talk quite clearly, so I knew they must still think I was asleep. "Hey, Chase?" "Yeah, Sarge?" "Do you remember how Boss was when she was nursing you back to health?" "Geez, nosy much?" "Calm down, kid, I only wanna know if she was actually nice." Sarge chuckles. "She was, actually. She was so nice, and kind, and...oh man, you're gonna make me all sappy." "I'm sorry, kid." "It...it's okay." I heard the scrape of a chair and some sniffling noises, and I assumed Chase had begun to cry. "There there kid, no need to cry. What's done is done, eh?" He sniffed a few more times then replied. "I guess so, Sarge. Anyways, this kid's gotta be waking up soon. We'd better get ready to bring him to the Boss. Make sure he can't move, but he's fully aware. I'll get the wheelchair, get Twist on the chemicals." I could tell Sarge was smirking, and her sarcasm oozed from every word. "Yes sir." I heard retreating footsteps across hard tile, and then the squeaky noise of rubber wheels that I took to be the wheelchair. Something spiny was pressed against my side, and my I twitched as a buzz was sent through my entire body, ringing in my ears. "Hey, kid. Wake up." I groaned and finally opened my eyes, blinking back harsh white light. "No time for dawdling. Can you move?" As if his words had flicked a switch in my brain, I groggily sat up, the electric charge still muddling my brain. "Sit here, will ya? I don't have much time." With the help of Chase, I slowly lowered myself into the comfortable wheelchair, and I felt a small sting as a needle was pushed into my neck. I cried out, a freezing numbness rapidly spreading through my body, and I slumped forward into Chase's arms. "Sorry, kid, but we can't have you hurting anyone." I couldn't feel anything as I watched him push me back into the seat and buckle thick, padded straps around my chest, thighs, ankles, and wrists, tightly holding me in place. "Chase?" I muttered, blinking bleary eyes. "Huh?" He freezes for a moment, looking at me. "She's your sister..?" He glowered and looked away. "Yeah," he said shortly, pushing the wheelchair towards a door in the corner of the room, past a small table with two chairs. I rattled down a tiled hallway, stopping outside a plain grey door, on which Chase rapped. "Boss?" I heard a scraping noise and then a soft hiss, as a harsh female voice came, slightly muffled, through the door. "Enter."
Chapter Twelve A loud knock on the door shook me from my thoughts. "What is it now?" I half-yelled rather grumpily, setting down the empty test tube in my hand. I stood up, roughly pushing my stool to the floor with a jarring clatter. I smacked a button on the wall and the door panel slid aside to show a thin, sweet-faced girl with fluffy brown hair harshly cropped to a boy's haircut. Her large green eyes peered up at me indignantly, a small nose poking out from her smooth face, a rosebud mouth curled into a frown. "What is it now?" I growl, crossing my arms. "Shut the hell up, you haven't been doing anything all day." She mutters angrily, shoving me backwards. Even with my strength, the girl sends me stumbling backwards. "What the hell was that for?" I grab her hair, which was just long enough to find purchase in. "Ow, let go!" I held her at arms length, forcing her to look me in the eye. "Nobody ever pushes their way into my lab," I growl sharply, punctuating each word with a hard tug on the girl's hair. "Just because she sent you here doesn't mean you can barge in anytime you want." I spit 'she' out like it's venom, my anger bubbling up. I stuff it back down and let the girl go, turning back to my table. My voice looses its razor edge, and I pull my stool upright and perch atop it, facing my computer. "I suppose she wants me to try and remove the nanos?" I smirk down at the table, trying to disguise my shaking hands. Through clenched teeth, the girl confirms what I had already known. I spin around and watch her quickly scramble up from where she was half-slumped on the floor, massaging her scalp, and stand in front of me with crossed arms. She tugs something out of one of the many pockets on her camouflage cargo pants, yanking the hem of her tight black shirt back down once she had pulled out what appeared to be a neatly folded slip of paper. She tossed it to me and I caught it easily, spinning back to my table and unfolding the sheet. Scrawled on the paper in a bold hand was one word; 'Reprogram.'
Chapter Thirteen The room was small and sparsely furnished, with a simple oak desk in the middle, a thick carpet on the floor, and a lamp on the wall casting a muted glow about the room. Seated behind the desk was Harlequin, her expression stony. "So you're the One," she said softly, studying me like I was an insect under a microscope. I had my wit back, now, and I stared defiantly at the girl in front of me. "So you're the famous Harlequin I've heard so much about," I sneer, watching her expression darken. Her eyes narrow and she glares at me, her gaze dagger-sharp. The edges of her lips curve up in a small smile, and her voice is mocking and snarky. "It's such a pity to see the oh-so-famous 'One' trussed up and drugged, at my command. Hm. Maybe you're not so special after all." Her smile fades a bit as she doesn't reach the reaction she desired, my expression remaining cold and aloof. She clenches her teeth and growls out words, her voice like steel. "Look, kid, after I'm through with you you'll wish you'd never even been born." She stands up and slams her hands onto her desk, leaning close to my face. Her eyes glitter with a mischievous light, and her bloodred lips pull into a smirk. "But kid, trust me...." She glances up at Chase, who was standing behind my wheelchair. Just in my range of vision, I see him nod a bit and Harlequin's gaze returns to me. "Everything will be okay." With those words, it's as if a switch goes off in my brain and a cold, numbing blackness sweeps over my body, and I feel my head loll to one side. My eyes are still wide open and staring, but I can't see anything, nor can I move. Chase gasps and he asks in wonder, "How did you...?" I feel ice-cold fingers graze my cheek, then the soft reply comes. "Fail safe. Take him to Twist." I'm turned around and wheeled out the door, and after a few minutes of rolling, we stopped, and Chase knocked on a door. "Hey Twist! Open up." Someone grumbles for the other side and the door opens with a quiet swish. "That him?" She asks gruffly, undoing the straps around my body and hefting me onto her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Twist drops me roughly on a metal table and something pokes the back of my neck. With a yelp, I convulse and blink back the sudden white light. "Easy there, kid." Twist grumbles, moving into my field of vision. Her dark brown hair is tied back into a loose bun, and she's wearing a simple black t-shirt with jeans. Feigning confusion, I arrange my features into what seems appropriate. "Kat..?" I mumble, squinting at Twist. She smirks and pulls a small black box with two wickedly sharp prongs on one end out of her pocket. "Don't worry, you'll see your little girlfriend soon." With that, she jabs the prongs into my side and my world is turned upside down by a rush of dizziness.
Chapter Fourteen "Ma'am?" "Yes?" "He still hasn't come back." "Don't worry. I'm sure he's fine..." "You sure? Quin's goons might've got him." "I know. Sometimes there are risks you have to take." "Alright, but....our cam feeds show we have a rat." "Oh, do they now?" "It's the kid. Chase." "He'll be taken care of." "Thanks, Boss." "You're dismissed." "Ma'am."