A different kind of girl {Book One}

Kidnapped

I emerge from the bathroom. It's late, early morning late and John is dozing on the floor, leaning against the couch. Dad must have gone to bed. I kneel down on the floor by him and shake his shoulder. He awakes and kisses me gently.

"I'm sorry."

"Me too," I whisper and slump next to him.

"You hungry?" I shake my head. "Tired?"

"Shooting someone has really put me off everything." He chuckles. "She probably hates me."

"She hated you anyway." He stands up. "Cara is a very difficult woman to understand, especially with her past." I can still see her, the pain in her eyes. I couldn't breathe, everything happened so fast and I pulled the trigger. I would never have imagined me pulling the trigger, making someone bleed. What have I become? I stare at my hands, covered in blood but when I blink, they're clean. It was her shoulder, she'll be okay. But the way Stephen looked at me, such disgust, shock, hate. They hate me, my old family hates me. And now I'm trapped in here, and John, my bodyguard.

"Rachael?" I shake my head and push his hand away. "Rachael man!" I jump at his sudden raised voice and hide my head behind my knees. "We're so much better than them and in time, if they don't join us, we'll wipe them out. You just have to trust me. With my help, you won't need to worry about anything, you won't have to feel a thing. You'll be a machine, like me."

"But I don't want to be a monster."

"You do. You chose this, we just have one step left."

"And what's that?"

"More people."

Three people have been changed already. Dad started bringing new recruits in and John would lie about what would happen and then he'd change them and cart them off to another unit. And I have to stand and watch. Even if they didn't change me, they would still be doing this so by being here, in the moment, I can stop them.

And may the world judge me because I should have stayed with Jonathan, Cara, Russell and Stephen. John is nothing but bad news and even if Jed is blood, he's done nothing but care about power since I met him.

"Rachael?" I look up at John as he slides a plate of pancakes towards me. "Are you okay?" I nod silently and tuck into my meal.

"I'd like to go to the roof afterwards for some air and to practice fighting." We set up a punch bag and a few targets to shoot since more people were moving into the flats.

"And only there. If I find that you've left the house or even teleported to the next roof, I'll be severely disappointed. His voice chills me to the bone. He scares me, dear god he scares me.

"Thank you." John kisses my cheek roughly and walks away into the bedroom. I finally breathe out properly and wolf down my food. When John returns I say 'bye' and then I head up to the roof. Of course, I'm not actually going to practice. I have some making up to do.

Stephen. It's dead silence on our brain frequencies. Stephen please. I don't know what I'm doing. They're changing more, it's going to be a blood bath.

Why?

Stephen?! Oh Stephen, I am so sorry.

Why will there be a blood bath? What has happened?

Jed and John, they're changing more paranormals with Roger's blood. He's making an army.

Okay. Anything else?

No, but if I get anymore I'll tell you. John won't let me leave but we can talk this way.

Okay. It goes silent again and I realise he's gone. But he listened to me and talked to me so that is a step up. I throw a few punches till I go red in the cheeks and then I quit for the day. I walk through the door and sit on the top step listening to the talking going on in one the flats below us. Jed has bought nearly the whole building just for rooms for some people. Something will go wrong, it always does.

Another morning, another day. I've sneaked out to get breakfast from somewhere normal. I miss the freedom and I miss stale coffee made in a cheap shop. I sit on the hard seat and twirl my finger round the cream on my mocha. It's very dull in the shop, not very much going on though I suspect it's because it's too hot for drinks like tea and coffee.

A stranger sits in front of me with his smoothie. A good choice for the weather, very summery. He's wearing all black and reminds me about what the Ultra agents used to wear. All black is easy to clean, never dirties and looks smart. It's very practical but horrible for heat. No wonder he's having a smoothie.

"Rachael," he nods and I practically jump out of my seat. How does he know my name? I look at the doorway and someone dressed in black too is standing in the way. The guy at my table shuts the blinds and everyone sitting, stands up. "Sit down."

"Leave me alone."

"You can come quietly, or we'll kill you." I eyed the tall one drawing near me with his hands held out, ready to grab me. I try to steady my breathing.

"You'll have to catch me," I shout and I teleport outside. I start running through the crowds, pushing people away as I hear the men shout after me. Luckily it's a Saturday and everyone is shopping. I duck into a shop and run through the aisles, looking for somewhere to hide. Sneaking behind a mannequin and clothes I contact John through my phone.

"John, shoot me later but someone is after me."

"Where are you?"

"A shop, hiding. I—." I hear running feet and I peek between the shirts to see two of the men searching the shop. "They're coming. What do I do?"

"Oh Rachael. I could kill you sometime. Get onto the streets, I'll spot you. Stay on the line." I look through the clothes and the coast in clear so I take a run out the shop, avoiding anyone wearing black. I look up towards the tops of buildings and wave my hands for John to notice me.

Suddenly, the air is knocked from within me and I crash into the ground, knocking my head on the pavement and scraping my elbow.

"Should have come quietly." He places something on my neck and lifts me up, wrapping my arm over his neck. "Play nice," he hisses and lifts his head to the concerned shoppers. "She's fine, she's not feeling very well." My knees give way and he holds me up. Walking towards a deserted area, I'm surrounded by men in black. "Report back to HQ, I'll get her there myself." My head droops into his chest and he picks me up bridal style and my head rests in the crook of his neck.

"What... did... you," I struggle to get my words out as I black in and out of consciousness.

"Should have come quietly."