There's Someone in My Head But it's Not Me

Chapter Five

Colton took a deep breath. "No."

I was taken aback. "No?" I half shouted. "No? You want to help me yet you keep secrets. That doesn't sound like someone who wants to help."

"It's, umm, personal..." Colton muttered.

I laughed to myself. "Be like that then. I'll get to Seoreh on my own."

"You don't now where to go."

"I'll figure it out." I stood up and began towards the forest when a gunshot rang out.

"ECHO RUN!" shouted Colton. I bolted towards the still dark forest.

I had a feeling that Nialliv had come for us. I knew that Colton and I weren't on their side, but a question lingered in my mind. How did they know? The only logical explanation would've been someone was feeding them information and Colton was the only person I ever remember talking to. Would

Colton really do that?

I was pulled out of my thoughts when the trees parted. I slowed my run.

Ahead of me there appeared to be a large field, which should have been normal, except something didn't feel right.

And that's when I saw it.

The grass disappeared to reveal a cliff and the bottom looked hundreds of feet below me.

Colton came to a stop beside me. "Oh no." He began panicking. "No, no, no..."

"Colton, calm down." I attempted to make him relax and it didn't seem to work.

"I was trying to keep you from them and I led them straight to you..." Colton trailed off as he came to a realization. He ripped a bracelet off his wrist and chucked it into the abyss below.

"What was that?" I asked hesitantly.

"They-" he began but was cut off by a new voice.

"I gave it to him."

I spun around to see a women with dark brown, graying hair. She wore a clean white lab coat and smooth black pants. The mystery woman was flanked by two men wearing black and carrying guns.

Colton turned around slower than I had. Then all of a sudden, he moved towards the women so fast that it was too fast. "I should never have trusted you!" he shouted angrily.

"You're right, Colton. You shouldn't have." The women laughed and shook her head. "It took you so long to figure it out. Ever since you put on that bracelet we could hear every word you said, knew every step you took... After our encounter in the woods, we were going to let you go in peace. But once you started showing and telling Echo about her past..." The women smirked. "We just couldn't have that now could we."

"So you're saying if I hadn't said anything about her past you would've let us go to Seoreh?"

The woman laughed. "You know we wouldn't let that happen."

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" I asked, obviously annoyed with both the woman and Colton.

"You don't remember me?" she asked, her eyebrows squashed together.

"Am I supposed to?"

"You used to. In fact, we met earlier today. I know Colton has told you all about your past, so you know about Nialliv. The other doctors and I wanted to make sure you were doing your job efficiently and because of Colton here, you weren't." The woman shot a disgusted look at Colton, who kicked at a rock on the ground. "We had to make sure you were efficient, so we injected you with an updated version of the super soldier serum that caused you forget everything from that year and change your physical appearance."

So that's what happened. But why was this woman telling us everything if we were on different sides? It's not like...

We needed to get out of here.

"Thank you for the explanation miss, but Colton and I will be going."

The woman, who had been laughing, gained a serious face. "You and my son won't be going anywhere, at least not until we're done with you."

I was taken aback. This was Colton's mom? As I got a closer look, I could see how Colton used to resemble her. They had had the same deep blue eyes and dark brown hair. Now Colton looked nothing like her.

Colton's mother must have sensed my shock. "Yes, Echo. I am Siara Freyd, mother of Colton, and leader of Nialliv."

The feeling of shock was replaced by one of anger. "YOU KILLED MY PARENTS!" I screamed at her. "YOU KILLED MY FAMILY!"

Siara smirked. "Yes I did." She paused for a moment. "And now that you've betrayed me, I'll kill you too."

Colton jumped in front of me. "Kill me instead. I gave her the idea. Don't hurt her for something I did."

I didn't think that she would actually consider it, but Siara nodded. "Very well then." She motioned for the two black clad men towards Colton. "Get rid of this child."

"NO!" I screamed. "I WON'T LET YOU TAKE ANOTHER ONE!"

Colton closed his eyes. Run Echo. Get out of here while you still can.

You wouldn't think I would have listened, but something told me I had to listen. If I didn't follow the orders, something bad would happen.

So I ran.

And by some miracle, I reached the forest. Siara must not care if I get away because no one came chasing after me.

That's when I realized I wasn't her biggest problem. Colton was.

He wouldn't tell me what happened in the experiments he was in and I bet the guards didn't come after me for just that reason.

Instead of running deeper into the woods, I stopped. Glancing around me, I saw a tall oak tree with lower branches that I could easily climb to the top of.

At the top, I could easily see, but not hear, everything that was happening next to the cliff. No one had moved.

Siara motioned the guards towards Colton, who tried to run but couldn't get away fast enough. What had happened to the speed he had earlier?

The guards dragged Colton to the edge of the cliff and before I realized what was happening, he was gone.

Colton had been dropped off the cliff.