The First

10.1

A/N: Not late this time! Haha, sorry 'bout the past few weeks. Now that the school year is ending (for me at least) things are getting crazy. I'm glad I had the time to get this out for you guys :) However, I can't guarantee the next update will be on time.

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02 - 07 - 2089

I am unable to do anything but stand there as the man strides towards us. I tug on Cade's sleeve, but I can tell he has already seen the man. He wraps a protective hand around my arm and pushes me a bit behind him, using himself to shield me from the man. I keep my eyes on the man, and as he nears, I see his gaze is locked on me.

The man is scruffy, bundled up in many layers of clothing with an unkempt beard and a baggy hat with a red L stitched onto the front. I start to wonder what the L stands for, before I snap at myself to pay attention. Here we are, possibly in a horrible situation, and I'm thinking about letters on hats.

I glance up at Cade. His expression is neutral, but I can see the faint lines at his mouth, the tightness of his jaw. He's nervous too, and that doesn't help to calm my nerves. In the slightest.

The man comes to a stop right in front of us, and his gaze finally leaves me to look at Cade, but only for a moment. Several people have started to glance over at us and I shift uneasily. We wait for the man to speak, and I cling to the hope that he is just going to say hi and welcome us to this town. But the dread that is steadily building in the base of my stomach tells me otherwise.

"Aren't you that thing from TV?" The man finally asks, almost as if he has overcome his shock. His voice is gravelly, and for some reason it grates at my ears, like rubbing nails down a wall. I shiver.

Cade shakes his head. "You must be mistaken. This is my," he glances down at me, "sister."

The man doesn't seem to believe him. He sort of shakes his head, rubbing a thick hand down his beard. "No, she has to be that girl on the news report. The scientific breakthrough. I saw the picture."

They posted a picture of me? Does the whole world know who I am now? The thought is unsettling, and I shove it from my mind, choosing to file it with the others things that don't make sense.

"No," Cade says, more firmly. "I assure you. She is not." There is a warning in his voice.

The man raises his hands a bit. "No harm meant. Just curious. After all, we're all curious about the thing." He steps to the side, allowing Cade and I to shuffle by, but continues to watch us as we head towards the door.

We shuffle out as fast as we can while trying to act normal, and I glance once more before the door closes, locking eyes with the man. For a split second, I see recognition flicker in his gaze, then his eyes narrow and the door shuts, separating us.

"Hurry," Cade urges me, pulling me off the steps and onto the sidewalk. His grip is strong and pinches, but I don't try to pull away, knowing he is only trying to protect me. We hurry through the snowy sidewalk, heading away from the restaurant. I have no idea where we are headed, and I have a feeling neither does Cade. But one thing is clear: we can't stay in that restaurant.

If people figure out who I am, then they will tell Doctor Acosta and I'll be brought back. I can't go back. I've tasted freedom, and I've fallen in love. Anything less would drive me mad now.

"Here." Cade pulls me to the right suddenly, into a small alleyway connecting a parallel street. Several back doors let out into the narrow alley, and Cade pulls me to a stop in front of one. the door is boarded up and rotting, clearly abandoned.

Cade struggles with the boards nailed over the door, grunting as they give way. He fiddles with the handle, eventually giving up and kicking in the door instead. It swings open on rickety hinges, and I'm afraid it's going to collapse. I cast an uncertain glance towards Cade, but he just ushers me inside, following right behind. He pushes the door closed and we are immersed in dim light.

We move farther into the building, and I can see from the dusty light filtering in from the boarded up windows that it used to be some sort of store. Empty shelves and counters line the store's edges with racks towards the center. Dust coats everything, except for the back counter where it looks like some sort of creature has been making its home.

"What are we doing here?" I ask, covering my mouth with the sleeve of my coat to keep the dust out of my lungs. I cast a wary gaze on everything once more until my eyes land on Cade. He's watching me, his expression giving away nothing.

"We can't leave yet. And we can't check into a motel without any form of identification. This will have to do." He casts his eyes downward, shuffling his feet. "I'm sorry. This wasn't the way it was supposed to go."

I hear the pain and frustration in his voice and all I want to do is comfort him. All I want to do is make him forget the mistake and focus on all the good he has done. I step up to him and rest a hand on his cheek, feeling the stubble beginning to grow. He stills. "Cade, it's okay. We'll be okay. You saved me." I struggle to find more words that would be appropriate. "I know we'll figure it out."

"I don't think so."

My head snaps to source of the words. My breath is caught in my throat as I see a figure step from the darkness, a gun in his hands. The barrel is pointed straight at me and Cade.

Cade grabs me and pulls me behind him immediately. I stumble, but regain my footing, clutching the side of his shirt to keep steady. "Who are you?" Cade demands, his voice strong, commanding. I admire his courage in this moment, as I know I am unable to speak.

"I think that question is more appropriate coming from us."

Another voice, this time behind us. Cade and I swivel at the same time, taking in the other figure in the shadows. Not pointing a weapon at us, but that doesn't bring me much hope.

"Come on," the first figure urges, stepping more into the light. A man, younger with brown hair. The color I imagine tree bark to be. Varied, and rough. His eyes are alert, bright, and the opposite of Cade's. They hold danger, and I shimmy farther from him, unknowingly pulling Cade with me.

Cade hesitates a moment, but then raises his hands as the man takes a step closer, his gun coming in closer range. "Okay," Cade says. "My name is Cade. And this is Lara. We... we're strangers here. And we needed a place to stay. We didn't know this building belonged to you. Just... put down the gun and we'll leave."

The second stranger shuffles, and I hear him right behind me. I jump back, knocking into Cade. The man stares down at me, tall and dark. The very making of a nightmare.

Cade pulls me back a bit, but stops when the first man tells him to halt. I'm frozen with fear, unsure of what is going on. If we intruded, then why won't they just let us leave? We didn't mean to enter their home, or at least I didn't. I assume Cade didn't mean to.

"What do you think, Enzo? Should we take them at their word?" The second man sneers down at me, his face contorting into an ugly image. I can't shake the overwhelming feeling of dread and fear penetrating every bone of my body. Controlling me, like a puppet on stiff strings.

The first man, apparently called Enzo, coughs once, loud and hard. I glance over to see him wiping his mouth on his grimy sleeve. "If they aren't worth anything. But we should check them for money first."

"Please," I manage, speaking for the first time.

"Ah! She speaks!" The first man grins, approaching me again, even though Cade sends him a warning glare. The man bends forward to look me in the eyes. He squints, studying my face, and I feel self conscious all of a sudden, though I don't know why.

"Empty your pockets," Enzo orders, and I hear Cade reluctantly obeying. But I can't move. I can't even breathe, though I am trying. This man has me captured in his stare. Paralyzed.

There. His eyes flicker with something, and he stands back up. "Actually, I think we may have just stumbled upon a fortune."

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