The Broken Child

Chapter Two

Margot must have fallen asleep, because Cassie was shaking her at 11:48 pm, saying it was time to go. Margot was incredibly confused at why she couldn't just stay with Cassie, but where ever Cassie was taking her, Margot knew one thing.

It was far out in the woods.

Cassie drove them to a large facility. Margot was surprised when she saw the big A painted on the sides of the main building. When Cassie stopped, Margot got out and stood there, looking curiously up at the building. Cassie got out and looked down at her phone.

"Well, okay. Someone is definitely inside."

She beckoned Margot to follow and pressed a button. A voice came through a speaker;

"Who is this at midnight?"

Cassie smiled "Is my dad inside?"

"Cassie! Come on in!"

The door mechanism clicked and Cassie opened the door. She turned toward Margot.

"My dad likes to be surprised when I visit him."

"Was he working as a receptionist?" Margot asked, curiously.

Cassie shrugged her shoulders "When the actual receptionist leaves for the night, they fill in taking turns."

"They? Who's they?"

"Cassie!" a man walking with haste down the hall said, his arms outstretched.

Cassie walked over to him "Hi, dad!"

"So, why are you visiting at midnight? Don't you have class tomorrow?"

Cassie nodded "I do, but I've got a situation that's needs to be kept safe."

He'd just seen Margot. She waved awkwardly at him. He waved back.

"Come. Follow me."

Margot followed Cassie and her dad into a room. A few other people were already there, but they were half asleep. One was a girl around Margot's age with dark brown hair and brown eyes. She was sitting with her head in her hands, falling asleep over a model rocket. The other person in the room, Margot knew of. It was the Hulk, or Bruce Banner. He started to gently shake Morgan awake.

"Morgan, why don't you head off to bed."

Morgan, reluctantly, stood up and walked to the door. She stopped for a second to stare at Margot before snarling at her and walking away. Margot turned back to everyone else, who were staring at her. Banner crossed his arms and smirked.

"So, how'd you end up here?" he asked.

Margot shifted on her feet "I, um.... I ran."

They all stared at her for a while before Banner finally said "Well, you must be exhausted." Margot shrugged. He nodded "Follow me."

Margot did as she was told. She followed him to a small room that was clearly meant only for sleeping. She nodded in thanks and Banner left, but he poked his head back in the room only once.