STAR CROSSED 2.0

A BOND, A RESPONSABILITY

Taylor blinked twice to accommodate her eyes to the bright light coming from on top of her head. She had the most horrible headache she'd ever had and her whole body was soar. When she finally opened her eyes she saw a dark room, a set of all size monitors aligned in front of what seems like a hospital bed where she was actually lying down, her hands tied to it. 

Struggling she tried helplessly to break the chains that were holding her to that bed. When all of a sudden, Taylor heard a woman talking from behind her.

"I never thought you'd be so... Let's say, open to interact with Atrians". That voice was Mrs. Benton's. "Frankly Taylor, I thought you, from all the girls, wouldn't even want to come close to any of them. But this situation fits just perfectly into my plans." With this last sentence the hideous woman made herself visible by coming out of the darkness surrounding the room and into the illuminated spot where Taylor was lying.

"Let me go Mrs. Benton! Why are you doing this?!" Taylor yelled still fighting against her ties.

"A brat-daddy's girl like you wouldn't understand a thing of what I'm planning". She turned her back to her and started staring at the screens. "This is bigger than you or me Taylor" she continued while sketching some notes. "This is gonna change it all". And with that vague statement she turned around again and faced and approached the trembling girl slowly.

"You're gonna be part of something greater than the human race has ever seen". Mrs. Benton hideously grinned.

Taylor realized there was no way out of there. Not right now. Not without help from the outside. She had been kidnapped, trapped and tied down and for what it seemed, she was about to be part of some sort of sick experiment that inevitably included her unborn half-Atrian child. Tears started running down her face.

"Oh Taylor" said Mrs. Benton with a touch of admiration in her voice "You're carrying a precious gift inside you" and caught some of the powerless girl's tears inside a glass container.

After having said that she headed into the darkness again and Taylor couldn't see but hear the sound of a closing door. She was all alone, defenseless and horrified.

"Drake..." Taylor whispered into the dark. Helpless as she was the only thing she could do was close her eyes and wait while she burst into tears.

---

"Taylor!" Drake turned around and headed towards the edge of the roof looking at the city. He was about to exit and go downstairs with the others when he felt something, like a presence, a whispered in the air... He felt in his guts that something was wrong with Taylor.

"Guys! Roman!!" He took the stairs down two at a time and reached his friends whom had already loaded Grayson's corpse inside Emery's car. "Something has happened to Taylor. We gotta do something!" he moaned.

"But how do you know?" Emery worriedly asked.

Drake looked confused, mumbled and finally said "We have... Sort of... A..." He was carefully choosing the right words as he knew his situation shouldn't be revealed. "We have a strong bond; that is all, ok?!" And again he turned and faced Roman who has an inquisitive looking expression.

"Alright. We'll look for her.  But first we need to take care of Grayson, Drake. We have to take his body to his parents' and explain what happened" stated Roman with resolution.

"But Roman! They won't be that understanding! They'll hang you for this!" shouted Julia.

"But someone has to!" he replied.

"Roman... I'll..." Emery was beginning to say as she approached Roman but he grabbed her by the arms and confronted her.

"No, Emery. This is my uncle's fault. I have to make amends for what he's put us through." He resolutely looked into her eyes and softly said "I won't leave you alone on this".